Ten victims have been rescued after gunmen ambushed two buses carrying National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members and other passengers along the Owerri–Onitsha Road in Imo State.
The terrifying attack occurred at about 6:30 a.m. on Thursday, October 1, 2026, near Umunoha in Mbaitoli Local Government Area, throwing commuters into panic and triggering a massive security operation.
The victims were reportedly travelling from Ibadan, Oyo State, to NYSC orientation camps in the South-East and South-South when armed men intercepted the buses.
According to the Imo State Police Command, tactical teams and other security personnel immediately launched a coordinated search-and-rescue operation after the attack was reported.
In a statement issued by the Police Public Relations Officer, Henry Okoye, the command confirmed that 10 victims had been rescued and were receiving attention.
“The rescued victims are in safe hands and are being attended to,” the police said, adding that the exact number of people initially abducted was still being verified.
Earlier reports had put the number of abducted corps members at 20, although police said investigations were ongoing to establish the precise number of victims.
The two buses were reportedly transporting NYSC members and other passengers to Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, and Bende, Abia State, respectively, when the gunmen struck.
Following the attack, security operatives moved into surrounding areas, combing bushes and deploying intelligence-led tracking efforts in a desperate bid to locate the abductors and free those still being held.
The Commissioner of Police, Imo State Command, CP Audu Bosso, alongside other security commanders, visited the scene for an on-the-spot assessment and directed the ongoing operation.
The police said the operation would continue until all victims were recovered and the suspects apprehended.
Meanwhile, the affected section of the Owerri–Onitsha Expressway has been reopened, with traffic reportedly flowing normally under heightened security presence.
The police also said they were working with the NYSC directorate to contact the families of affected corps members and keep them updated.
The command urged residents and motorists to remain vigilant and provide credible information that could assist security agencies.
“All information will be treated in confidence,” the police said.
The Imo attack comes just weeks after another group of corps members and other passengers were abducted along a highway in Kogi State.
In that incident, security forces later rescued 21 victims, including corps members, from Egume Forest following a sustained operation involving the police, military, Department of State Services and local vigilantes.
As security teams continue the search in Imo, anxious families are awaiting news of the remaining victims, while authorities race against time to bring the highway abduction to an end.
10 Rescued as Gunmen Abduct Corps Members on Imo Highway
