The Imo State Police Command has rescued 10 persons following the abduction of prospective National Youth Service Corps members and other passengers travelling from Ibadan, Oyo State, to orientation camps in the South-East.
The victims were travelling in two buses when armed men reportedly ambushed the vehicles at about 6:30 a.m. on Thursday, October 1, around Umunoha in Mbaitoli Local Government Area of Imo State.
The buses were reportedly conveying prospective corps members from Ibadan to Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, and Bende, Abia State, where they were expected to report for their NYSC orientation exercise.
Following the attack, the police, alongside other security agencies, launched a search-and-rescue operation in the area, leading to the rescue of 10 of the abducted passengers.
Spokesman for the Imo State Police Command, Henry Okoye, said the rescued victims were safe and receiving necessary care.
He, however, said security authorities were still working to establish the exact number of people abducted during the attack, adding that an official figure would be released after verification.
Earlier accounts had suggested that about 20 prospective corps members were abducted, but the figure has not been officially confirmed by the police.
Tactical police units and other security operatives have since been deployed to the area to intensify the search for other victims and track down those responsible for the attack.
The Imo State Commissioner of Police, Audu Bosso, also visited the scene alongside heads of other security agencies to assess the situation and coordinate the ongoing operation.
Police said the affected section of the Owerri-Onitsha Expressway has since been reopened to motorists, while security personnel remain deployed along the route to protect road users.
The command also disclosed that it was working with the National Youth Service Corps to establish contact with the families of those affected and provide them with updates on the situation.
Residents and road users have been urged to remain calm but vigilant and provide security agencies with any information that could assist in locating the remaining victims and apprehending the attackers.
Police assured members of the public that information provided to security agencies would be treated confidentially.
