The Nigerian Army, Police, Department of State Services (DSS) and other security agencies have intensified a joint search-and-rescue operation for 20 prospective National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members abducted along the Owerri–Onitsha Road in Imo State.
The victims were reportedly kidnapped on October 1 around Umunoha, prompting security agencies to launch coordinated operations to locate the abductors and rescue the victims.
Troops of the 34 Artillery Brigade, supported by personnel of the Nigerian Navy, Nigerian Air Force, Nigeria Police Force, DSS, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps and local vigilantes, reportedly commenced an offensive operation in Amakohia Forest at about 5:30 a.m. on Saturday.
Security sources said the operation was based on intelligence gathered while tracking the abductors and attempting to establish their location.
The sources also said the kidnappers had contacted the families of seven of the victims using telephone numbers belonging to the abducted persons and demanded a ransom of N50 million for each victim.
According to the sources, DSS operatives geolocated the telephone numbers used during the ransom calls, providing intelligence to support the ongoing operation.
Meanwhile, the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Olatunji Disu, deployed the Deputy Inspector-General of Police in charge of Operations, DIG Shehu Umar Nadada, to Imo State to provide operational direction for the rescue mission.
Nadada, who arrived in the state with two commissioners of police, conducted an on-the-spot assessment of the incident and the ongoing search-and-rescue operations by the Imo State Police Command.
The assessment involved the Imo State Commissioner of Police, CP Audu Garba Bosso; Commissioner of Police, Federal Operations, CP Akpan Anifiok; the Commissioner of Police in charge of the Police Mobile Force, as well as other service commanders and members of the command’s management team.
The police delegation reviewed operational strategies, personnel deployment and available assets, while issuing additional directives to strengthen the coordinated response.
The Police said tactical teams and operational assets had been deployed across identified areas, with intelligence-led efforts being intensified in collaboration with other security agencies.
DIG Nadada assured that the Police would sustain the operation until the abducted prospective corps members were safely rescued and the perpetrators apprehended.
He urged residents to remain calm and vigilant and encouraged anyone with credible information that could assist the operation to contact the Police or the nearest security formation.
As of the time of filing this report, the joint operation was still ongoing, with no official confirmation of the rescue of the 20 abducted prospective corps members.
Authorities also urged the public to refrain from spreading unverified information capable of undermining the ongoing rescue efforts.
