Relief As 20 Abducted NYSC Prospective Corps Members Regain Freedom In Imo

There was relief and jubilation among families of 20 prospective National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members abducted in Imo State after the victims regained their freedom.

The prospective corps members were reportedly abducted on October 1, 2026, while travelling along the Onitsha-Owerri Road to their respective orientation camps in Imo State.

The Nigeria Police Force confirmed on Wednesday that the victims had been rescued following sustained search-and-rescue operations involving the police and other security agencies.

According to the Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Ani Iniedu, the victims were rescued on October 7 at Amakohia Ubi Village in Imo State.

Iniedu said the rescued victims had been taken for medical assessment and necessary care, while security agencies had intensified efforts to arrest those responsible for the abduction.

The police said, “The Nigeria Police Force, in collaboration with sister security agencies, has rescued the 20 prospective NYSC corps members abducted in Imo State on 1st October 2026.

“The victims were rescued on 7th October 2026 at Amakohia Ubi Village, Imo State, following sustained search-and-rescue operations. They have since been taken for medical assessment and necessary care.”

The Force spokesman added that efforts were ongoing to apprehend the perpetrators and bring all those found culpable to justice.

The development also elicited relief from the affected families, who said they had endured days of anxiety and uncertainty over the safety of their children.

One of the parents and spokesperson for the families, Alimot Akande, said the release had brought significant relief, although many parents were yet to have direct contact with their children.

“We are happy that they have been released. This is what every parent has been waiting and praying for. For days, we have been living in fear and uncertainty because we did not know what could happen to our children,” Akande said.

She, however, appealed to the authorities to provide the victims with medical and psychosocial support, saying they had gone through a traumatic experience.

According to her, “The psychological trauma has been enormous. Imagine having your child travelling to report for NYSC and then you suddenly hear that the vehicle they were travelling in had been attacked and the occupants abducted.

“They need medical attention, psychological support and every necessary assistance because they have gone through a traumatic experience. They should not simply be released and left to deal with the experience on their own.”

Akande also disclosed that the affected families had faced financial difficulties during the ordeal, alleging that individual parents had made separate arrangements in response to ransom demands by the abductors.

She said the priority of the families throughout the crisis was to secure the safe return of their children.

Another parent, Femi Adewale, 53, described the rescue as a major relief after days of uncertainty.

“We are very happy and relieved that our children have been released. It has been a very difficult period for us as parents because we did not know what would happen to them.

“The most important thing for us now is to see our children, speak with them and know that they are safe. We thank God for preserving their lives,” he said.

Similarly, Sade Oyeyemi, whose only daughter, Kemisola, was among the abducted prospective corps members, expressed gratitude over the development.

“I am very happy that she has been released. As a mother, especially when the child involved is your only daughter, you cannot explain the kind of fear and pain you go through when you do not know where she is or what is happening to her,” Oyeyemi said.

Another parent, Janet Oladosu, 55, also described the rescue as a welcome development, saying the families had spent days living in fear.

“The news of their release is a great relief to us. We have been living in fear and praying for our children. Nobody wants to hear that their child has been abducted, especially when the child was simply travelling to begin the National Youth Service,” she said.

Meanwhile, the rescued victims were said to be receiving medical attention at a facility in Imo State, with security agencies working to establish the circumstances surrounding the abduction and apprehend other suspects who may have been involved.

The NYSC Director-General, Brigadier General Olakunle Oluseye Nafiu, was also reported to have visited the rescued victims at the DSS facility in Owerri.

The NYSC DG was said to have been accompanied by the Imo State Commissioner of Police, the Director of the Department of State Services (DSS) and the Commander, 34 Artillery Brigade, Obinze.

Reacting to the development, Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma, commended the security agencies for securing the release of the 20 prospective corps members.

Uzodimma also praised the collaboration between the Imo and Oyo State governments, as well as the security agencies, in efforts that culminated in the rescue of the victims.

The governor said the authorities deliberately avoided releasing sensitive information during the operation because of the need to protect the lives of the abducted prospective corps members.

He commended the parents for their patience during the crisis and urged Nigerians to continue to support efforts to address the country’s security challenges.

The rescue has renewed calls for stronger security measures along major routes used by prospective corps members travelling to orientation camps, particularly during NYSC mobilisation periods.