Imo Bus Abduction: 10 Rescued as Prospective Corps Members Remain Missing on Owerri-Onitsha Road

Ten passengers have been rescued after gunmen attacked two commercial buses carrying prospective National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members and other travellers along the Owerri-Onitsha Road in Imo State.

The attack occurred at about 6:30 a.m. on Thursday near Umunoha in Mbaitoli Local Government Area as the buses travelled from Ibadan, Oyo State, towards orientation camps in Abia and Akwa Ibom states. The Imo State Police Command confirmed the incident and said security agencies had launched a coordinated operation to locate those still missing.

According to the police, the two buses were conveying prospective corps members and other passengers when they came under attack. Both vehicles were later recovered, while 10 victims were rescued and taken to safety.

The command said the exact number of people abducted was still being verified. However, reports from families and other sources have indicated that about 19 prospective corps members may have been among those affected. This figure had not been independently confirmed by the police at the time of the latest official update.

The victims were travelling from Ibadan after leaving the Samonda area on Wednesday. One mother, Mrs Alimotu Akanke, said her child, Akande Farouq, was among those travelling to Abia State for the NYSC programme.

Akanke said the family had been tracking the journey after the passengers stopped overnight following their departure from Ibadan. She said the family received a brief message reading “Kidnappers!” before communication with her child was lost.

“We are begging the Nigerian Government, all security agencies, and the NYSC management, whatever they can do, please help us,” the distraught mother said in an appeal for the safe release of the affected passengers.

She said the family had also received information indicating that some passengers from the second bus escaped alongside the driver, while others were taken away. Families of the missing prospective corps members have since appealed to security agencies to intensify efforts to locate and rescue them.

Police spokesperson Henry Okoye said tactical teams and other security agencies were conducting coordinated search-and-rescue operations supported by intelligence-led tracking. He added that Commissioner of Police Audu Bosso had visited the scene with other security commanders to assess the situation and direct the operation.

The Imo Police Command also said it was working with the NYSC authorities to contact the families of affected prospective corps members and keep them informed as the rescue operation progresses. The incident has renewed concerns about the safety of young Nigerians travelling long distances to report for national service.