Owerri-Onitsha abduction: Police rescue 10 victims, begin hunt for others
The Imo State Police Command has rescued 10 people abducted by gunmen along the Owerri-Onitsha Expressway as security agencies intensify efforts to locate other victims and track down the suspected kidnappers.
The victims were rescued following a joint search-and-rescue operation launched after armed men attacked two buses conveying National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members and other passengers on Thursday morning.
The attack occurred at about 6:30 a.m. on October 1 near Umunoha in Mbaitoli Local Government Area of Imo State, according to the police.
Police spokesperson Henry Okoye disclosed the rescue in a statement, adding that the recovered victims were safe and receiving attention.
“The rescued victims are in safe hands and are being attended to. The exact number of persons abducted is being verified and will be made public once confirmed,” the statement said.
The earlier reported that the two buses were travelling from Ibadan, Oyo State, to Uyo in Akwa Ibom State and Bende in Abia State, where the prospective corps members were expected to attend their NYSC orientation camps.
Reports of the incident initially indicated that about 20 corps members had been abducted, although the police said the total number of victims taken by the gunmen was still being established.
Following the attack, tactical teams and other security personnel were deployed to conduct coordinated searches and use intelligence-led tracking to locate the suspected abductors and secure the release of those still missing.
The Commissioner of Police in Imo State, Audu Bosso, also visited the scene alongside other service commanders to assess the situation and direct the ongoing operation.
The command assured residents that the search would continue until all victims were safely recovered and those responsible were apprehended.
Meanwhile, the police said the affected section of the Owerri-Onitsha Expressway had been reopened to traffic, with security personnel remaining in the area to protect commuters.
The command is also working with the NYSC directorate to contact the families of affected corps members and provide updates as the operation progresses.
Residents were urged to remain calm and vigilant and to share credible information that could assist security agencies. The police said information provided by members of the public would be treated confidentially.
The incident comes weeks after security forces rescued 15 corps members and six other people abducted in Kogi State. The victims were recovered during an intelligence-led operation in Egume Forest, while efforts continued to apprehend those responsible.
