[UPDATED] 20 NYSC Prospective Corps Members Freed After Seven Days in Captivity

[UPDATED] 20 NYSC Prospective Corps Members Freed After Seven Days in Captivity

Twenty prospective National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members abducted in Imo State have regained their freedom after spending one week in captivity, with security agencies intensifying efforts to track down those responsible.

The victims were rescued on Wednesday, October 7, following a sustained and coordinated operation involving the Nigeria Police Force, military and Department of State Services (DSS).

The prospective corps members were travelling from Ibadan, Oyo State, to orientation camps in Abia and Akwa Ibom states when gunmen attacked two buses along the Owerri-Onitsha Expressway in Imo State on October 1.

The attack occurred at about 6:30am around Umunoha in Mbaitoli Local Government Area, where the buses were intercepted by the gunmen.

The Imo State Police Command initially reported that 10 victims had been rescued at the scene, while efforts continued to establish the exact number of people taken away.

The remaining victims were subsequently confirmed to include the 20 prospective corps members.

The Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Ani Iniedu, confirmed that all 20 prospective corps members had been rescued at Amakohia Ubi Village in Imo State on Wednesday.

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He said the rescue followed sustained search-and-rescue operations involving the police and other security agencies.

The victims were subsequently taken for medical assessment and necessary care.

The operation also resulted in the rescue of another civilian who had reportedly been abducted alongside the prospective corps members.

The rescued victims were taken to a DSS medical facility in Owerri, where they received attention following their ordeal in captivity.

The NYSC Director-General, Brigadier General Olakunle Oluseye Nafiu, visited the rescued victims at the DSS facility in Owerri. He was accompanied by the Imo State Commissioner of Police, the state DSS director and the commander of the 34 Artillery Brigade.

The rescue brought an end to a week-long ordeal that had triggered growing anxiety among the victims’ families and renewed concerns over the safety of young Nigerians travelling to NYSC orientation camps.

Before the rescue, security agencies had intensified efforts to locate the abductors and their victims. Imo State Commissioner of Police Audu Bosso had earlier disclosed that security operatives tracked the suspected kidnappers to a location in the bush using intelligence and drone surveillance.

The operation was reportedly complicated by intelligence that the suspected camp had been mined with improvised explosive devices (IEDs), prompting security agencies to adopt a cautious approach.

Earlier reports had also contained conflicting figures over ransom demands. Some families reportedly said the abductors demanded ₦50 million per victim, amounting to ₦1 billion for the 20 prospective corps members. However, there was no official confirmation that any ransom was paid before the victims were rescued.

The Inspector-General of Police, Tunji Disu, had deployed Deputy Inspector-General of Police Shehu Umar Nadada, in charge of Operations, to coordinate the security response in Imo State.

With the victims now safe, security agencies have shifted their focus to identifying and arresting the suspected kidnappers.

No arrests had been officially announced in connection with the abduction as of Wednesday night, but coordinated operations were continuing to apprehend those responsible.

The incident has renewed concerns about the safety of prospective corps members travelling long distances to their orientation camps, particularly along routes affected by kidnapping and other violent crimes.

The successful rescue of the 20 prospective corps members is expected to ease pressure on their families while placing renewed attention on security arrangements for young Nigerians travelling to NYSC camps across the country.

[UPDATED] 20 NYSC Prospective Corps Members Freed After Seven Days in Captivity