Twenty prospective National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members and another victim abducted along the Owerri–Onitsha Road in Imo State have regained their freedom following a coordinated security operation.
The victims were rescued from a suspected kidnappers’ hideout in the Amakohia-Ubi forest, Owerri West Local Government Area of the state.
They have since been taken to the Department of State Services (DSS) Hospital in Owerri, where they are receiving medical attention and undergoing necessary medical examinations.
The Director-General of the NYSC, Brigadier General Olakunle Oluseye Nafiu, was at the DSS Clinic on Wednesday, where he addressed and interacted with the rescued victims.
He was accompanied by the Imo State Commissioner of Police, the Director of the DSS in the state and the Brigade Commander, 34 Artillery Brigade, Imo State.
The victims were abducted on October 1 while travelling from Ibadan, Oyo State, to NYSC orientation camps in Abia and Akwa Ibom states.
The two buses conveying the prospective corps members came under attack near Umunoha in Mbaitoli Local Government Area of Imo State.
Following the incident, security agencies launched a coordinated search-and-rescue operation.
The Imo State Police Command later disclosed that its operatives had located the kidnappers’ camp through drone surveillance. However, access to the location was reportedly delayed after security operatives discovered that the area had been planted with improvised explosive devices (IEDs).
Additional operational assets, including bulldozers and armoured personnel carriers, were subsequently deployed as security agencies intensified efforts to reach the victims.
The abduction had generated considerable anxiety among relatives, particularly following reports that the kidnappers were demanding as much as ₦50 million for each victim.
The police had earlier announced the rescue of 10 victims, while operations continued to locate those still being held.
The latest rescue brings relief to the families of the remaining abductees, with all 20 prospective corps members and the additional victim now safe and receiving medical attention in Owerri.
Uzodimma Commends Security Agencies
Reacting to the development, Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma, commended the security agencies for what he described as their swift, coordinated and patriotic intervention.
Uzodimma, in a statement personally signed by him, also praised the collaborative efforts of the Oyo and Imo State Governments, saying their cooperation contributed to the successful rescue of the victims.
The governor explained that because the incident involved the safety of human lives, authorities deliberately restricted the release of operational details while security agencies worked discreetly to secure the captives.
He expressed appreciation to the security agencies for the manner in which they handled the operation and also commended the parents and families of the victims for their patience throughout the ordeal.
Uzodimma urged Nigerians to continue to support and have faith in the Federal Government and security agencies as efforts continue to confront the country’s security challenges.
Details of the rescue operation, including whether arrests were made or ransom was paid, have not been officially disclosed.