Police Confirm Abduction of Prospective Corps Members on Imo Highway
Imo State police have confirmed that gunmen abducted prospective National Youth Service Corps members and other travellers after attacking two buses on Thursday.
The vehicles were travelling from Ibadan in Oyo State to orientation camps located in the South-east and South-south, according to a statement signed by the command's Police Public Relations Officer, Okoye Henry. The statement said the attack happened at about 6:30 a.m. along the Owerri-Onitsha Road, near Umunoha in Mbaitoli Local Government Area of Imo State.
Police said the buses were carrying the prospective corps members and other passengers bound for Uyo in Akwa Ibom State and Bende in Abia State.
Ten victims were rescued at the scene after police and other security agencies intervened, the command said. It added that the exact number of those still held captive was being verified.
"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 statement read.
Mr Henry said the police would not stop the operation until every victim had been recovered safely and those suspected of carrying out the abduction had been arrested.
The command also said it was liaising with NYSC authorities to reach the families of the affected corps members and to keep them updated while the rescue effort continues.
"Operatives are conducting coordinated search and rescue operations, backed by intelligence-led tracking of the suspects.
"The Commissioner of Police, alongside other Service Commanders, visited the scene for an on-the-spot assessment and to give operational direction. He assured the public that the Command will sustain the operation until all victims are safely recovered and the suspects are brought to justice."
Families seek answers
Relatives of the prospective corps members have been struggling to find out what became of their loved ones, and the incident has caused panic among them. Some have appealed to security agencies and the federal government to do more to bring the victims home.
A parent whose daughter was heading to an orientation camp in Abia State said in a video that a message signalling distress arrived from her daughter early on Thursday.
The parent explained that the daughter had been sharing her live location with the family through a WhatsApp group while on the journey from Ibadan.
Shortly after 6:00 a.m., according to the parent, the daughter sent the single word "kidnapper" to the family group. Relatives called her phone at once in response.
The first calls connected, the parent said, but the daughter did not pick up before the line stopped connecting altogether.
"She quickly typed 'kidnapper', and we tried to call immediately to see what happened. Since then, she has been offline," the parent said while appealing for help.
The parent added that the family later gathered that the passengers and the driver of the bus had been taken away, while some of those in the other bus managed to escape.
Renewed anxiety over corps member safety
The abduction in Imo State has revived worries about the safety of prospective corps members who travel long distances to reach their orientation camps.
It comes weeks after another attack on a highway in which gunmen seized a group that included corps members in Kogi State.
That attack took place on 26 August around Ogene Zaria, near the Ogene Zaria-Onicha-Igo junction along the Aloma-Egane Expressway.
A joint security operation later led to the rescue of 11 people, among them corps members, the police said.
to like, bookmark, and comment.
Comments
Join the conversation:
No comments yet. Be the first to share your thoughts.