Twenty prospective members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) who were abducted along the Owerri-Onitsha Expressway in Imo State have been rescued by security operatives.
The corps members were among passengers intercepted by gunmen on October 1 while travelling in two buses from Ibadan, Oyo State, to their respective NYSC orientation camps in Abia and Akwa Ibom states.
Their rescue, confirmed on Wednesday, came six days after the attack at Umunoha on the Owerri-Onitsha Expressway.
A security source disclosed that the operation was conducted by a joint team comprising operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS), the military and the Nigeria Police Force.
The rescued corps members are currently receiving medical attention at a DSS facility in Imo State, according to the source.
The attack had triggered a coordinated search operation involving several security agencies after the victims were taken into the bush.
The Imo State Police Command had earlier confirmed that NYSC members were among those abducted after gunmen attacked the two buses at about 6:30am on October 1.
The police initially said 10 victims were rescued at the scene and that efforts were ongoing to determine the exact number of people still in captivity.
Security agencies subsequently intensified the operation, with police drones reportedly used to locate the kidnappers’ hideout in the bush.
Audu Bosso, Imo Commissioner of Police, had disclosed that operatives tracked the abductors to a location but were unable to immediately enter the area after intelligence indicated that the camp had been rigged with improvised explosive devices.
The police then prepared to deploy additional operational assets, including bulldozers and armoured personnel carriers, as part of efforts to reach the victims safely.
The Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, had also deployed Deputy Inspector-General of Police Shehu Nadada, in charge of operations, to coordinate the rescue mission in Imo.
The abduction had generated widespread concern, particularly among the families of the affected graduates.
Reports had earlier indicated that the kidnappers demanded ransom from the families of the victims, with the initial demand reportedly put at N50 million per victim.
The successful rescue brings to an end the immediate ordeal of the 20 prospective corps members, who were travelling to begin their mandatory national service when the incident occurred.
The latest development also underscores the role of coordinated intelligence and joint operations by the security agencies in securing the release of victims of kidnapping.
Details surrounding the circumstances of the rescue, including whether any arrests were made or whether ransom was paid, were not immediately available.
The security agencies are expected to provide further details on the operation and efforts to apprehend those responsible for the abduction.
