Gunmen Abduct NYSC Members, Other Travellers Along Owerri Onitsha Road.

Gunmen Abduct NYSC Members, Other Travellers Along Owerri Onitsha Road.

At least several prospective National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members and other passengers were abducted after gunmen attacked two buses along the Owerri Onitsha Road in Imo State on Thursday, October 1.

The incident occurred at about 6:30 a.m. near Umunoha in Mbaitoli Local Government Area, as the passengers travelled from Ibadan, Oyo State, to NYSC orientation camps in Abia and Akwa Ibom states.

According to the Imo State Police Command, the two buses were conveying passengers to Uyo, Akwa Ibom State and Bende, Abia State, when they were attacked by suspected armed men.

Police and other security agencies responded to the incident, recovering both buses and rescuing 10 victims at the scene. The command, however, said the exact number of people still in captivity was being verified.

The police said tactical teams and other security personnel had launched coordinated search and rescue operations, supported by intelligence-led tracking, to locate the remaining victims and apprehend the suspected abductors.

The Commissioner of Police in Imo State, Audu Garba Bosso, alongside other security commanders, visited the scene and directed the ongoing operation.

The police also said it was working with the NYSC Directorate to contact the families of affected corps members and keep them informed as the operation continues. The affected section of the Owerri Onitsha Road has since been reopened, with security personnel deployed in the area.

While some reports initially put the number of abducted NYSC members at about 20, authorities had not confirmed that figure as of Thursday night. The police said the final number would be announced after verification.