Twenty prospective members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) who were kidnapped while traveling to their orientation camps in Imo State have regained their freedom. The victims were abducted along the Owerri-Onitsha Road in Umunoha, Imo State, on October 1. They were rescued during an intelligence-led operation involving the military, Department of State Services (DSS), police, and other security agencies.
The kidnapped prospective corps members were traveling from Ibadan, Oyo State, to their respective NYSC orientation camps in the South-East when they were attacked by gunmen. The abductors reportedly demanded a total ransom of N1 billion from the families of the 20 victims, with N50 million demanded for each victim. The families had disclosed the ransom demand on October 3 when they visited the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Rashidi Ladoja.
The families of the kidnapped graduates had appealed to the Olubadan and the police to intervene urgently, expressing fears over the threats issued by the kidnappers. The Olubadan had assured the families that security agencies were working to rescue the victims unharmed. The Oyo State Commissioner of Police, Olugbenga Abimbola, had also disclosed that he was in contact with his Imo counterpart, Audu Garba Bosso, over the abduction.
The Imo State Police Command had identified the suspected kidnappers' hideout using drones. However, the rescue operation had been delayed by intelligence indicating that the area had been planted with improvised explosive devices (IEDs). The Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, had deployed the Deputy Inspector-General of Police in charge of Operations, Shehu Nadada, to Imo State to coordinate the search-and-rescue operation.
The rescued victims, along with another hostage, are currently receiving medical attention at a DSS facility. The successful rescue brings an end to days of uncertainty for the families, who had feared for the safety of the graduates preparing to begin their mandatory one-year national service.
The development comes four days after the abduction and ransom demand were reported. The families had been in contact with the kidnappers, who had been calling them through the mobile phones of the kidnapped graduates. The police and other security agencies had been working round the clock to secure the rescue of the victims.
Details of the rescue operation, including whether any arrests were made or whether any ransom was paid, were not immediately available. The rescue operation was a collaborative effort between various security agencies, and it is not clear what specific roles each agency played in the operation.
Key points
- The 20 prospective corps members were rescued following a coordinated security operation in Imo State.
- The abductors had demanded a total ransom of N1 billion from the families of the 20 victims.
- The rescued victims are currently receiving medical attention at a DSS facility.
