Police locate NYSC members' camp; kidnappers demand ₦950m ransom

Gunmen abducted 19 prospective National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members on Thursday morning along the Owerri-Onitsha Road in Umunoha, Imo State, as the victims travelled in two buses from Ibadan, Oyo State, to orientation camps in Abia and Akwa Ibom states. The buses departed Ibadan on Wednesday but were delayed by traffic around Benin, Edo State, forcing an overnight stop in Oba, Anambra State. The vehicles resumed their journey at approximately 5 a.m. on Thursday; gunmen emerged from the bush shortly after they entered Imo State, blocking both buses and forcing 19 corps members into the bush. The drivers escaped and alerted security personnel at a nearby checkpoint.

According to Isiah Akpan, Managing Director of Uko Akwa Ibom Motors Nigeria Limited (which operated the buses), the abductors have demanded ₦50 million for each victim, totalling ₦950 million. The kidnappers contacted some families through the victims' phones, and in at least one case allowed a video call during which families saw their relatives sitting on the ground in the bush. Imo State Police reported that 10 victims were rescued at the scene within 24 hours of the abduction, though verification of the exact number remaining in captivity was ongoing.

Imo State Commissioner of Police Audu Bosso disclosed on Saturday that security agencies have located the suspected camp using drone surveillance after trailing the abductors into the bush on Friday. However, rescue operations have proceeded cautiously after intelligence indicated the camp is mined with Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs). Police stated they were preparing to move into the area with heavy equipment, including bulldozers and armoured personnel carriers, to attempt a safe rescue. No group has claimed responsibility for the abduction. Families of the victims have appealed to state and federal governments for assistance, with parents expressing desperation given the magnitude of ransom demands and their limited financial means.