NYSC members rescued in Imo State have regained their freedom after spending seven days in captivity following their abduction while travelling to their National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) orientation camps.
The 20 prospective corps members were travelling from Ibadan, Oyo State, to orientation camps in Abia and Akwa Ibom states when gunmen attacked the buses conveying them on October 1, 2026.
The incident happened along the Owerri-Onitsha Road in Imo State, around the Umunoha area of Mbaitoli Local Government Area. The victims were travelling in two buses when the attackers intercepted them and took them into the surrounding bush.
Their abduction triggered a major security operation as families waited anxiously for information about their loved ones. Security agencies eventually located the area where the victims were being held and intensified efforts to bring them out safely.
NYSC Members Rescued After Coordinated Security Operation
The NYSC members rescued on Wednesday, October 7, were found at Amakohia Ubi Village in Imo State after several days of sustained search-and-rescue operations.
The Nigeria Police Force confirmed that its operatives worked with other security agencies during the operation. The military and the Department of State Services (DSS) also took part in the wider effort to locate and recover the victims.
Police spokesperson CSP Ani Iniedu said the victims were taken for medical assessment and necessary care after their rescue. The operation ended a week-long ordeal that had generated widespread concern among their families and members of the public.
The rescue followed several difficult days for security operatives. Earlier in the search, Imo State Commissioner of Police Audu Bosso said officers had used drone surveillance to locate the suspected kidnappers’ camp.
However, security personnel could not immediately enter the location because intelligence indicated that the area had been planted with improvised explosive devices. The police later deployed additional equipment, including bulldozers and armoured personnel carriers, as they worked to reach the victims without putting their lives at further risk.
The security agencies eventually completed the operation without publicly disclosing every detail of how they reached the captives.
Rescued Graduates Receive Medical Attention
Following their release, the 20 prospective corps members were taken to a DSS facility in Owerri for medical attention and further checks.
The Director-General of the NYSC, Brigadier-General Olakunle Oluseye Nafiu, visited the rescued graduates at the facility. He was accompanied by senior security officials, including the Imo State Commissioner of Police, the state DSS director and the commander of the 34 Artillery Brigade.
The development brought relief to families who had spent the previous week seeking the safe return of their children. The Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Rashidi Ladoja, also confirmed the release after Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma informed him about the development.
Governor Uzodimma later praised the security agencies for their coordinated response. He explained that the government deliberately kept details of the operation discreet because public disclosure could have affected efforts to secure the victims’ safe release.
The abduction had raised serious concerns about the safety of young Nigerians travelling to NYSC orientation camps. The victims had left Ibadan expecting to begin their national service, but their journey was interrupted by the attack in Imo State.
Reports during the seven-day ordeal said the abductors demanded ransom from the families of the victims. However, authorities have not confirmed whether the kidnappers received any payment before the graduates regained their freedom.
Security agencies have also not announced any arrests linked to the abduction. Police authorities said they would continue operations to identify and apprehend those responsible for taking the prospective corps members.
The successful rescue has therefore ended the immediate crisis for the affected families, while the investigation into the abduction continues. Authorities are expected to provide further information as investigators work to establish the circumstances surrounding the attack and track down the perpetrators.