Twenty prospective members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) and one other person abducted in Imo State have regained their freedom after a coordinated operation by security agencies.
The victims were rescued on Wednesday, October 7, following an intelligence-led operation involving the military, Department of State Services (DSS), Nigeria Police Force and other security agencies.
They are currently receiving medical attention at a DSS facility in Owerri.
The Director-General of the NYSC, Brigadier-General Olakunle Oluseye Nafiu, has also visited the rescued victims at the DSS facility, where he addressed them. He was accompanied by the Imo State Commissioner of Police, the Director of the DSS and the Commander of the 34 Artillery Brigade in the state.
How The NYSC Members Were Abducted
The victims were abducted on October 1 while travelling from Ibadan, Oyo State, to different NYSC orientation camps in the South-East and South-South.
The group was travelling in two commercial buses, with one vehicle heading towards Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, while the other was travelling towards Bende in Abia State.
The buses came under attack at about 6:30 a.m. along the Owerri-Onitsha Road around Umunoha in Mbaitoli Local Government Area of Imo State.
The attackers, who were armed, intercepted the buses and took passengers into the bush.
The incident initially left families and security agencies struggling to establish the exact number of people taken away, as the police said investigations were still ongoing to determine the number of abducted passengers.
Security agencies responded shortly after the attack, recovering the two buses and rescuing some of the passengers.
The initial police account said 10 victims had been rescued at the scene, while the remaining abductees were taken into the bush by the attackers.
Further reports from the Defence Headquarters indicated that the two buses were carrying about 30 passengers and that 20 people were abducted during the attack. Ten others were able to escape or were rescued during the initial response.
Security Agencies Intensify Search
Following the attack, security agencies launched a sustained search operation to locate the remaining victims and track the kidnappers.
The operation involved personnel from the military, police, DSS and other security formations.
At one point, the Imo State Commissioner of Police, Audu Bosso, disclosed that security operatives had located the suspected kidnappersâ camp through drone surveillance.
However, the rescue operation was not immediately carried out because intelligence indicated that the area had been planted with improvised explosive devices.
Security personnel were subsequently working on how to approach the location safely while avoiding possible explosives and protecting the hostages.
The development heightened anxiety among the victimsâ families, particularly after reports emerged that the abductors were demanding ransom for their release.
Families of the victims said the kidnappers had contacted them and demanded huge sums of money for the release of their loved ones.
Reports later indicated that the initial demand was as high as âŚ50 million for each victim, amounting to about âŚ1 billion for the group. The demand was subsequently reported to have been reduced.
Despite the pressure surrounding the case, security agencies continued efforts to locate the victims and bring them out safely.
Victims Finally Regain Freedom
After days in captivity, the remaining 20 prospective corps members and another abducted person were eventually rescued on Wednesday.
The victims have since been taken to a DSS facility in Owerri for medical attention and further assessment.
The rescue brings relief to the families of the graduates, who had spent days waiting for news of their loved ones.
The circumstances surrounding the final stage of the rescue operation have not been fully disclosed by the security agencies.
It is also not yet clear whether any ransom was paid to secure the victimsâ release.
Investigations are expected to continue as security agencies work to establish the identities of those behind the abduction and apprehend suspects connected to the attack.
The incident has once again raised concerns over the safety of young Nigerians travelling across the country for the NYSC programme, particularly following previous attacks involving prospective corps members on major highways.
For the rescued graduates, however, the immediate priority remains their recovery and reunification with their families after a week that began with a journey to serve their country and ended in captivity.
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