There was relief and jubilation on Wednesday evening as twenty prospective members of the National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, who were abducted in Imo State have been successfully rescued by security agencies after spending six agonizing days in captivity.
The victims, who were on their way to their respective orientation camps when they were kidnapped, regained their freedom at about 4:28pm on Wednesday following a coordinated and sustained search-and-rescue operation carried out by a combined team of security operatives in the state.
The rescue operation took place at Amakohia Ubi Village in Imo State, a location where the abductors had kept the victims hidden in the bush since their abduction, while trying to evade arrest by security agencies who had been on their trail.
The prospective corps members were abducted on 1st October, 2026, while travelling through Imo State to report at their NYSC orientation camps, after gunmen blocked the highway and attacked two commercial buses conveying them and other passengers.
The incident, which occurred along the Owerri-Onitsha Road, had sparked nationwide outrage and anxiety, with parents and families of the victims appealing to the Federal Government and security agencies to ensure the safe rescue of their children.
Confirming the rescue in a statement issued on Wednesday, the Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Anietie Iniedu, said the successful operation was as a result of sustained operational coordination and collaboration among all the security agencies involved.
According to CSP Iniedu, the rescue mission involved operatives of the Nigeria Police Force, the Department of State Services, DSS, the military and other sister security agencies who worked together, sharing intelligence and combing bushes and forests in the area.
He explained that immediately the abduction was reported, the Inspector General of Police deployed additional tactical teams and assets to Imo State to support the state command and ensure that the victims were rescued alive and unhurt.
The police spokesperson noted that the security agencies adopted a careful and strategic approach to avoid endangering the lives of the victims, which included intelligence gathering, tracking of the suspects and thorough search of suspected criminal hideouts.
He stated that the perseverance and professionalism displayed by the operatives eventually paid off when they were able to locate the exact spot where the victims were being held at Amakohia Ubi Village and swiftly moved in to free them.
It was gathered that on sighting the security operatives, the kidnappers abandoned the victims and fled into the surrounding forest to escape arrest, leaving behind the twenty prospective corps members who were found looking weak and traumatized.
Following their rescue, the victims have since been taken to a medical facility where they are currently undergoing comprehensive medical examination and necessary medical attention as part of the standard post-rescue procedure.
CSP Iniedu disclosed that doctors are attending to the rescued prospective corps members to ascertain their physical and psychological state after six days in the kidnappers’ den under harsh and inhumane conditions.
He added that the NYSC management and families of the victims have been contacted and duly informed of the successful rescue, while arrangements are being made to reunite them with their loved ones after medical clearance.
The police further revealed that security agencies have not relented in their efforts to apprehend the suspects responsible for the abduction, as operations have been intensified to track down the fleeing kidnappers and bring them to justice.
According to the Force PRO, security operatives are still combing the bushes and forests around Amakohia Ubi and other adjourning communities, with credible intelligence suggesting that some of the suspects may still be hiding within the area.
He assured that the Nigeria Police Force and other security agencies are determined to ensure that the perpetrators of the heinous crime are arrested and made to face the full wrath of the law to serve as deterrent to others.
The police also reiterated that the safety of lives and property remains a top priority of the Federal Government and that no effort will be spared in ensuring that criminal elements who threaten public safety are dealt with decisively.
Reacting to the development, many Nigerians have commended the security agencies for their swift and coordinated action that led to the rescue of the prospective corps members, while calling for sustained security presence along highways.
Some stakeholders have also urged the Federal Government to strengthen security along major roads across the country, particularly the Owerri-Onitsha expressway which has become notorious for kidnapping and armed robbery attacks.
They argued that while the rescue of the twenty victims is commendable, there is need for proactive measures to prevent future abductions and to restore confidence of travellers who now live in fear of plying major highways.
Meanwhile, the Nigeria Police Force has expressed gratitude to members of the public for their cooperation, useful information and support throughout the period of the search-and-rescue operation, noting that public support played a crucial role in the success.
The Force assured that further updates on the operation, including progress made in arresting the suspects, will be communicated to the public as necessary, while reiterating its commitment to protecting lives and property and responding promptly to threats to public safety.
