The Imo State Police Command has rescued 10 people abducted by gunmen who attacked two buses conveying prospective National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members and other passengers from Ibadan, Oyo State, to different orientation camps in the South-East.
The victims were rescued during a joint search-and-rescue operation launched following the attack, which occurred at about 6:30 a.m. on Thursday, October 1, near Umunoha in Mbaitoli Local Government Area of Imo State.
The police, however, said efforts were ongoing to rescue other victims still in the custody of the suspected kidnappers and apprehend those responsible for the attack.
The Imo State Police Public Relations Officer, Henry Okoye, confirmed the rescue in a statement, assuring that the rescued victims were safe and receiving necessary attention.
According to Okoye, the exact number of people abducted during the incident was still being verified and would be made public once the police had established the correct figure.
“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,” he said.
The two buses were reportedly conveying prospective corps members and other passengers from Ibadan to Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, and Bende, Abia State, where the prospective corps members were expected to report for their respective NYSC orientation programmes.
Initial reports had indicated that about 20 prospective corps members were abducted during the attack. However, the police maintained that the actual number of people taken by the gunmen was yet to be established.
In response to the incident, the police deployed tactical teams and other security personnel to the affected area to conduct coordinated search-and-rescue operations and carry out intelligence-led tracking of the suspected abductors.
The Commissioner of Police in Imo State, Audu Bosso, also visited the scene of the incident alongside other service commanders to assess the situation and provide necessary directives for the ongoing security operation.
As part of measures to restore normalcy, the police announced that the affected section of the Owerri-Onitsha Expressway had been reopened to motorists. Security personnel, however, remained in the area to ensure the safety of commuters and prevent further security breaches.
The command further disclosed that it was collaborating with the NYSC directorate to establish contact with the families of the affected prospective corps members and provide them with updates on the ongoing rescue operation.
While urging residents and members of the public to remain calm and vigilant, the police called on anyone with credible information that could assist in locating the remaining victims or tracking down the suspected kidnappers to report to the relevant security agencies.
The command assured the public that all information provided would be treated with strict confidentiality as security operatives continued efforts to rescue the remaining victims and bring the perpetrators to justice.
