A COURT is set to resume the trial of suspects linked to the abduction of 20 members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) and other passengers in Imo State.
News Point Nigeria reports that the suspects were apprehended in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, and Abia State during intelligence-led operations conducted between October 10 and 14 by the Department of State Services (DSS), in collaboration with the military, police and other security operatives.
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Three other suspects reportedly escaped with gunshot wounds, prompting security agencies to launch a manhunt for the fleeing members of the gang.
The prospective corps members were abducted on October 1, 2026, along the Owerri-Onitsha Expressway in Imo State while travelling from Ibadan, Oyo State, to their assigned NYSC orientation camps in Abia and Akwa Ibom states.
The gunmen reportedly attacked two buses conveying the prospective corps members and other passengers near Umunoha in the Mbaitoli Local Government Area of Imo State before abducting the victims.
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The victims were eventually rescued on October 7 during a joint security operation at Amakohia-Ubi Village in Owerri West Local Government Area of the state.
Following their rescue, they were taken to the DSS hospital in Owerri for medical attention and necessary checks.
During the search-and-rescue operation, the police had disclosed that their operatives located the kidnappers’ camp through drone surveillance but could not immediately advance on the location because it was reportedly planted with improvised explosive devices (IEDs).
The discovery of the explosives posed a significant challenge to the rescue operation, as security operatives had to contend with the potential danger while working to reach the victims.
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Security agencies subsequently intensified efforts to access the kidnappers’ hideout, rescue the abducted victims and secure their release.
The latest arrests, which followed intelligence-led operations across Rivers and Abia states, are part of the efforts to track down those allegedly involved in the abduction and bring them to justice, while the reported escape of three suspects with gunshot wounds has triggered a further manhunt.
