Nineteen prospective National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members have reportedly been abducted after gunmen attacked two buses along the Owerri-Onitsha Road in Imo State.
The incident occurred around 6:30 a.m. on Thursday, October 1, 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.
The attack has triggered anxiety among the victims’ families as security agencies continue search-and-rescue operations.
The latest development is that the abductors have reportedly demanded ₦950 million for the release of 19 victims. The demand amounts to ₦50 million per person, according to the managing director of the transport company that operated the buses.
Gunmen attack two buses in Imo
The two buses reportedly left Bodija/Samonda Park in Ibadan on Wednesday, carrying graduates travelling to their NYSC orientation camps.
According to Isiah Akpan, Managing Director of Uko Akwa Ibom Motors Nigeria Limited, traffic around Benin, Edo State, delayed the journey.
The buses later reached Onitsha, Anambra State, but the drivers reportedly decided to spend the night in Oba because of road conditions.
They resumed the journey at about 5 a.m. on Thursday.
Akpan said the buses had barely entered Imo State when armed men emerged from the bush and blocked their path.
He said the attackers took 19 passengers into the bush, while the drivers escaped and raised an alarm with security personnel.
Police recover buses and rescue 10 victims
The Imo State Police Command confirmed the attack and said security agencies responded after receiving information about the incident.
Police spokesman, DSP Henry Okoye, said tactical teams and operational assets were deployed to rescue the victims and apprehend the suspected abductors.
The police also confirmed that both buses were recovered.
According to the command, 10 victims were rescued at the scene and were placed in safe hands.
However, the police initially said the exact number of people abducted was still being verified. The command said it would release the confirmed figure after completing its verification.
This distinction is important because early reports put the number of abducted persons at about 20, while subsequent accounts from the transport company identified 19 prospective corps members.
Abductors reportedly demand ₦950 million ransom
The situation took a more serious turn after reports emerged that the kidnappers had contacted some families.
According to Saturday PUNCH, the abductors demanded ₦50 million for each of the 19 victims, bringing the reported total demand to ₦950 million.
One parent reportedly told the newspaper that the kidnappers contacted the family using her son’s phone and demanded ₦50 million.
Another parent said her family was able to see some of the victims during a video call.
The reported ransom demand has increased concerns among relatives, many of whom are waiting for updates from security agencies.
The ransom figure has been reported by the victims’ transport company and families. It has not been presented as an independently verified payment demand by the Imo State Police Command.
Police intensify search for remaining victims
Following the attack, the Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, deployed the Deputy Inspector-General of Police in charge of Operations, Shehu Umar Nadada, to coordinate the rescue operation.
Two Commissioners of Police were also deployed to support the operation in Imo State.
The security operation involves coordinated searches and intelligence-led tracking aimed at locating the suspected abductors and rescuing the remaining victims.
The Imo State Commissioner of Police, CP Audu Garba Bosso, also visited the scene with other security commanders for an on-the-spot assessment.
The police have assured families that operations will continue until the remaining victims are safely recovered.
Oyo Government reacts to abduction
The Oyo State Government has condemned the abduction of the graduates who began their journey from Ibadan.
The state’s Commissioner for Information, Dotun Oyelade, said the government was communicating with relevant security agencies, the Imo State Government and NYSC leadership.
He said Governor Seyi Makinde had directed that necessary resources be deployed toward securing the victims’ safe return.
The development has particularly raised concerns because the victims were travelling for national service.
The NYSC scheme requires graduates from different parts of Nigeria to travel to assigned states for orientation and subsequent service.
Growing security concerns for NYSC members
The Imo incident is the latest in a series of attacks involving prospective or serving corps members travelling between states.
In August, prospective corps members travelling from Bayelsa to Abuja were among passengers abducted along a route in Kogi State. Security forces later rescued the victims.
Other corps members have also been targeted during interstate journeys in previous years.
The recurrence has renewed questions about security arrangements for graduates travelling to orientation camps.
Security analysts cited by Saturday PUNCH have called for stronger protection measures along identified kidnapping corridors.
One analyst, Chidi Omeje, said criminal groups could exploit the predictable movement of graduates during NYSC mobilisation periods.
Another security expert, Olalekan Jackson-Ojo, argued that security considerations should form part of decisions on where corps members are deployed. These are the views of the named analysts and do not represent an official government position.
What happens next?
Security agencies are continuing their search for the remaining victims.
The police have not announced the safe recovery of all those reportedly abducted as of October 3.
Authorities are also expected to clarify the exact number of victims affected by the attack as the investigation progresses.
For the families involved, the immediate priority remains the safe return of their relatives.
The incident has also renewed attention on the security of major highways and the arrangements for transporting prospective corps members to orientation camps.
As the rescue operation continues, further updates from the police, NYSC and other security agencies will determine the confirmed number of victims and the outcome of the search.
