The Imo State Police Command confirmed on Thursday that security personnel executed a rapid response operation resulting in the rescue of 10 individuals kidnapped by armed attackers along the Owerri-Onitsha Expressway.
The intervention came after gunmen intercepted vehicles carrying National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members and other travellers along the highway.
Police Public Relations Officer Henry Okoye detailed the initial rescue outcomes in an official statement.
“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 Command said.
Following the report of the abduction, the command dispatched tactical units and operational personnel to carry out a joint search-and-rescue mission.
Police reports indicate that two buses conveying corps members and commuters were ambushed by suspected bandits around 6:30 a.m. on Thursday, October 1, 2026, near the Umunoha axis.
Initial accounts stated that up to 20 corps members travelling from Ibadan, Oyo State, to orientation camps across the South-East and South-South regions were targeted while in transit.
The two commercial buses were transporting NYSC members and other passengers from Ibadan toward destinations in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, and Bende, Abia State, when the assault took place.
Specialized police teams are executing intelligence-guided tracking operations across the area to trace the kidnappers and secure the release of all remaining captives.
Imo State Commissioner of Police, CP Audu Bosso, accompanied by heads of other security agencies, visited the scene of the incident to evaluate the situation and direct ongoing field operations.
Bosso reassured members of the public that search efforts would persist until every captive is recovered and the perpetrators are apprehended.
“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,” the statement read in part.
Vehicular movement has since been restored along the Owerri-Onitsha Expressway, with security forces deployed along the corridor to safeguard commuters.
The Police Command is coordinating with the NYSC management to establish contact with the families of the affected corps members and provide progress reports on the rescue mission.
Authorities have advised the public to stay calm, remain alert, and share useful information to aid the operation.
“All information will be treated in confidence,” the police said, adding that further updates would be issued as the situation progresses.
This ambush occurs shortly after security personnel successfully freed 15 corps members and six other travelers abducted in Kogi State, following an intelligence-led operation in the Egume Forest area.
