By Esther Ibe, Owerri
The Imo State Police Command has confirmed the rescue of 10 victims abducted by gunmen along the Owerri-Onitsha Road.
The victims, comprising National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members and other passengers, were rescued after security operatives launched a coordinated search-and-rescue operation following an attack on two buses on Thursday morning.
The Police Public Relations Officer in Imo State, Henry Okoye, disclosed the development in a statement, saying the rescued victims were safe and receiving attention.
“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,” the command said.
According to the police, the incident occurred at about 6:30 a.m. on October 1, 2026, near Umunoha along the Owerri-Onitsha Expressway.
The two buses were reportedly conveying corps members and other passengers from Ibadan, Oyo State, to Uyo in Akwa Ibom State and Bende in Abia State when they came under attack by suspected armed men.
The incident was initially reported as the abduction of 20 corps members travelling to NYSC orientation camps in the South-East and South-South regions.
Following the attack, the police deployed tactical teams and other operational assets for a coordinated search operation, supported by intelligence-led tracking.
The Commissioner of Police, Imo State Command, CP Audu Bosso, alongside other security service commanders, visited the scene for an on-the-spot assessment and to coordinate the operation.
The police said the operation would continue until all the victims were recovered and the suspected abductors apprehended.
Meanwhile, the affected section of the Owerri-Onitsha Expressway has been reopened to traffic, although security personnel remain deployed in the area to protect commuters.
The command also said it was working with the NYSC authorities to contact the families of affected corps members and provide updates on the ongoing operation.
It urged residents and commuters to remain calm and vigilant while calling on members of the public with useful information to assist security agencies.
The development comes weeks after security forces rescued 15 corps members and six other victims abducted in Kogi State following a sustained intelligence-driven operation in Egume Forest.