Security Forces Rescue 20 Kidnapped NYSC Members After Six-Day Ordeal In Imo
OWERRI, NIGERIA — A joint team of Nigerian security forces has successfully rescued 20 prospective National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members and one civilian driver who were abducted by gunmen six days ago in Imo State.
The successful operation took place on Wednesday afternoon, October 7, 2026, at approximately 4:28 PM.
Acting on actionable intelligence, a combined force of the Nigeria Police Force, the Department of State Services (DSS), and military personnel tracked the kidnappers to their hideout in the dense forests of Amakohia Ubi Village, located near the busy Owerri–Onitsha Road axis.
The corps members had been in captivity since October 1, 2026. They were travelling in commercial buses from Ibadan, Oyo State, heading toward their designated NYSC orientation camps in Abia and Akwa Ibom states, when heavily armed men intercepted their convoy and marched them into the bush.
Following their rescue, the traumatized but unharmed victims were immediately evacuated to the DSS Clinic in Owerri for comprehensive medical checks, psychological evaluation, and stabilization.
Brigadier General Olakunle Oluseye Nafiu, the Director-General of the NYSC, visited the rescued youths at the medical facility on Wednesday evening alongside regional heads of security agencies.
He commended the tactical teams for their swift, coordinated action and assured families that the safety of corps members remains a top national priority.
Meanwhile, security forces have cordoned off the general area of the rescue operation as specialized units continue to hunt for the fleeing kidnappers.
Authorities have vowed to bring the perpetrators to justice and have urged local communities to report any suspicious individuals seeking medical aid or hiding in rural areas.
