Security agencies rescue 20 abducted NYSC members in Imo
National Youth Service Corps NYSC
Abdullateef Fowewe
Joint security operatives from the military, Department of State Services (DSS), and police have successfully rescued 20 prospective National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members and one civilian who were kidnapped in Imo State, Dailyeconomy gathered.
The victims were freed during an intelligence-led operation and are currently receiving medical attention at a DSS facility in the state.
The Director-General of the NYSC, Brigadier-General Olakunle Oluseye Nafiu, visited the facility along with the Imo State Commissioner of Police, the state DSS director, and the commander of the 34 Artillery Brigade to assess their condition.
The abduction occurred on October 1, 2026, when gunmen attacked two commercial buses along the Owerri-Onitsha Road near Umunoha in Mbaitoli Local Government Area.
The vehicles were carrying graduates travelling from Ibadan in Oyo State to NYSC orientation camps in Abia and Akwa Ibom states. Initial reports indicated that some passengers escaped or were rescued at the scene, while the remaining group was taken into the bush.
Kidnappers reportedly demanded an initial ransom of ₦50 million per person, totalling around ₦1 billion, before later reducing it to ₦5 million each (₦100 million total). Families described periods of anxiety and reported that captives, including women, faced physical mistreatment during the ordeal.
Security forces located a suspected hideout through drone surveillance and intelligence but faced challenges, including reports of improvised explosive devices around the site, which delayed a direct assault.
The Inspector-General of Police deployed a Deputy Inspector-General and additional resources to coordinate the multi-agency effort.
The National Youth Service Corps is a mandatory one-year programme for most Nigerian university and polytechnic graduates, intended to foster national unity and provide practical experience.
Corps members and prospective participants travelling to orientation camps have increasingly become targets of highway kidnappings in various parts of the country.
Imo State, in Nigeria’s South-East, has faced persistent security challenges, including abductions, armed attacks, and other forms of violence along major roads and in rural communities.
Highway robberies and mass kidnappings for ransom remain a significant concern nationwide, with families often under pressure to meet high demands.
