By Fact Harbour News

Twenty prospective members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) and another passenger abducted in Imo State have regained their freedom following a coordinated operation by security agencies.

The victims were rescued on Wednesday, October 7, 2026, after spending about one week in captivity. They were among passengers abducted along the Owerri-Onitsha Road in Imo State while travelling to NYSC orientation camps.

The rescue operation involved personnel from the Nigeria Police Force, the Department of State Services (DSS), the military and other security agencies. Reports indicate that the operation was intelligence-led and followed several days of sustained efforts to locate the abducted travellers.

The victims were reportedly found in the Amakohia-Ubi area of Imo State and subsequently taken to a DSS medical facility in Owerri for medical assessment and necessary care.

The Director-General of the NYSC, Brigadier General Olakunle Oluseye Nafiu, visited the rescued victims at the medical facility. He was accompanied by the Imo State Commissioner of Police, the state Director of the DSS and the Commander of the 34 Artillery Brigade.

The development brings an end to a tense seven-day ordeal that began on October 1, when two buses carrying prospective corps members and other passengers came under attack near Umunoha in Mbaitoli Local Government Area.

The travellers were reportedly heading from Ibadan, Oyo State, towards NYSC orientation camps in Abia and Akwa Ibom states when the attackers intercepted the buses.

Security agencies launched a search-and-rescue operation immediately after the incident. Earlier reports indicated that some passengers had escaped or were rescued at the scene, while efforts continued to locate those still being held by the kidnappers.

The operation became more challenging after security personnel reportedly identified the suspected kidnappers’ location but faced concerns over possible improvised explosive devices around the area. Additional operational resources were subsequently deployed as the search intensified.

The abduction had generated widespread concern among the victims’ families, particularly after reports that the kidnappers initially demanded ₦50 million for each victim before reportedly reducing the demand to ₦5 million per person.

It remains unclear whether any ransom was paid before the victims were released. Authorities have also not publicly disclosed details about arrests made during or after the rescue operation.

The Nigeria Police Force said security agencies were continuing efforts to identify and apprehend those responsible for the abduction.

The rescue has also drawn reactions from government officials. Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma commended the security agencies involved, describing their collaboration as instrumental to securing the release of the prospective corps members.

The incident has renewed concerns about the safety of young Nigerians travelling to fulfil the compulsory national service programme, particularly on major highways where kidnapping remains a security challenge.

For now, the rescued prospective corps members are receiving medical attention and undergoing necessary checks as authorities continue investigations into the circumstances surrounding their abduction.