The Department of State Services (DSS) has arraigned five suspects allegedly involved in the abduction of 20 prospective National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members and a civilian in Imo State. The suspects appeared before the Justice Oputa State High Court in Owerri following their arrest in Rivers and Abia states.
The victims were abducted by gunmen on October 1, 2026, near Umunoha in Mbaitoli Local Government Area, along the Owerri–Onitsha Expressway. They were travelling from Ibadan, Oyo State, to their assigned NYSC orientation camps in Abia and Akwa Ibom states when the incident occurred.
The abduction triggered a security operation to rescue the victims and apprehend those responsible. Security operatives subsequently launched intelligence-led efforts to track down members of the suspected kidnapping syndicate.
On October 7, the 20 prospective corps members and the civilian were rescued from the Amakohia-Ubi forest in Owerri West Local Government Area. They were later taken to the DSS hospital in Owerri for medical attention.
The DSS arrested five suspects during intelligence-led operations conducted between October 10 and 14 in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, and Aba, Abia State. The arrests followed investigations into the abduction and efforts to identify those allegedly responsible.
The operations involved a joint security team led by the DSS, with support from the military, police and other security operatives. The coordinated effort formed part of the wider operation to locate the victims and apprehend the suspected kidnappers.
Meanwhile, three other suspects reportedly escaped with gunshot wounds during the operations. A manhunt is ongoing to apprehend them and other members of the suspected kidnapping syndicate who remain at large.
