The Imo State Police Command on Thursday said security agencies had rescued 10 victims abducted by gunmen along the Owerri-Onitsha Road.
The Police Public Relations Officer, Henry Okoye, disclosed this in a statement, saying the rescued victims were safe and receiving attention.
“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.
According to the police, tactical teams and other operational assets were deployed in a coordinated search-and-rescue operation following the abduction of National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members and other passengers.
The command said two buses conveying corps members and other passengers were attacked by suspected armed men at about 6:30am on Thursday, October 1, 2026, near Umunoha.
The victims were reportedly travelling from Ibadan, Oyo State, to NYSC orientation camps in the South-East and South-South when the gunmen intercepted the vehicles.
The police said one of the buses was travelling to Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, while the other was heading to Bende, Abia State.
Earlier reports had put the number of abducted corps members at 20, although the police said the exact number of victims was still being verified.
The command said its tactical teams were conducting coordinated search-and-rescue operations, supported by intelligence-led tracking, to locate the suspected abductors and secure the release of the remaining victims.
The Commissioner of Police, CP Audu Bosso, alongside other service commanders, visited the scene for an on-the-spot assessment and to provide operational direction.
The police said Bosso assured the public that the operation would continue until all the victims were safely recovered and the suspects apprehended.
The affected section of the Owerri-Onitsha Expressway has since been reopened, with traffic flowing normally, while security personnel remain deployed to protect commuters.
The command also said it was working with the NYSC directorate to contact the families of affected corps members and keep them informed as the operation progresses.
It urged members of the public to remain calm and vigilant and provide credible information that could assist the rescue operation.
“All information will be treated in confidence,” the police said, adding that further updates would be issued as the situation develops.
The incident comes weeks after security forces rescued 15 corps members and six other victims abducted in Kogi State.
The victims were rescued following a sustained intelligence-driven operation in Egume Forest, while security forces continued efforts to apprehend the suspected kidnappers.
