Ten prospective members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) were rescued following a highway abduction in Imo State. The rescue came after suspected kidnappers intercepted two commercial buses conveying prospective corps members and other passengers along the Onitsha-Owerri Road in the early hours of Thursday. Troops of the 34 Artillery Brigade responded to the incident, deploying alongside personnel of the Nigerian Navy, Nigerian Air Force, Nigeria Police Force and Department of State Services (DSS).
The coordinated operation led to the rescue of 10 of the abducted passengers and the recovery of the two buses. The Imo State Police Command confirmed the rescue, saying its operational assets and Rapid Response Team remained deployed in the area as security personnel combed surrounding forests for the kidnappers and any remaining victims. The command said the operation would continue until all those still unaccounted for were rescued and the perpetrators brought to justice.
The passengers included prospective corps members who had travelled from the Samonda area of Ibadan, Oyo State, and were heading to NYSC orientation camps in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, and Bende, Abia State. The incident highlights the security challenges faced by prospective corps members and other travellers on Nigerian highways. According to the Nigerian Army, troops are working to ensure the safety of all citizens and prevent such incidents from occurring.
While security forces were responding to the Imo abduction, troops in Adamawa State were engaged in simultaneous attacks on two military positions. The attacks targeted troops of 226 Battalion (Motorised) at Garkida in Gombi Local Government Area and 232 Battalion at Garaha in Hong Local Government Area. The troops repelled the assaults, forcing the terrorists to withdraw towards Garkida on motorcycles.
An Army Spartan element subsequently pursued the fleeing attackers and conducted strikes against them, neutralising 16 terrorists. The operation also yielded a cache of weapons, including three AK-47 rifles, two pump-action guns, one Dane gun and six AK-47 magazines, in addition to cartridges. The Army said troops were conducting follow-up operations and reorganising their defensive positions in the affected areas.
In addition to the operations in Imo and Adamawa States, troops also made gains in Yobe and Sokoto States. In Yobe State, troops of Sector 3, Operation HADIN KAI, arrested a suspected member of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) at Babbangida in Tarmuwa Local Government Area. The suspect claimed to be an Islamic cleric operating in the Sahara area of the Niger Republic.
In Taraba State, troops of Operation WHIRL STROKE responded to a suspected terrorist attack on Gwamagira settlement in Karim Lamido Local Government Area. The attackers reportedly killed one civilian and abducted three others before fleeing the area. The Army said troops were continuing efforts to rescue the abducted victims and apprehend those responsible for the attack.
Key points
- Nigerian troops rescue 10 NYSC members abducted on Imo highway.
- Troops neutralise 16 terrorists in Adamawa State.
- Security operations record gains in Yobe, Sokoto, and Taraba States.
