Police Rescue 10 After Gunmen Attack Buses Carrying Prospective NYSC Members in Imo
Police in Imo State say 10 people have been rescued after gunmen attacked two buses carrying prospective National Youth Service Corps members and other passengers along the Owerri–Onitsha Road.
The attack occurred at about 6:30 a.m. on Thursday, October 1, near Umunoha in Mbaitoli Local Government Area, according to the Imo State Police Command.
The buses were travelling from Ibadan, Oyo State, towards Uyo in Akwa Ibom State and Bende in Abia State when they came under attack. Police said both vehicles were later recovered.
Police spokesperson Henry Okoye said security agencies rescued 10 victims following their response to the incident.
But a critical figure remains unresolved: the exact number of people abducted.
Early reports carried figures of up to 20 victims, but the police subsequently said it was still establishing how many people were taken. IDNN is therefore not treating those early totals as confirmed.
Police said the rescued victims were safe and receiving attention, while efforts continued to recover those still unaccounted for.
Families await clarity on those still missing
The uncertainty means families are still trying to establish who escaped, who has been rescued and who remains missing.
Premium Times reported that relatives of some of the prospective corps members had appealed for urgent intervention after losing contact with family members travelling to orientation camps. Police said they were working with NYSC authorities to contact affected families.
The incident raises a wider public-safety question around young Nigerians travelling long distances to report for national service.
Weeks earlier, NYSC members were among travellers abducted in a separate attack in Kogi State. Security forces later announced the rescue of 21 victims, including 15 NYSC members.
The two incidents do not, on their own, establish a single organised pattern.
But they leave security agencies and the NYSC with an immediate accountability question: what safeguards exist for prospective and serving corps members travelling through routes exposed to kidnapping, and what changes follow when those risks materialise?
Owerri–Onitsha road reopened
Imo Police said the affected stretch of the Owerri–Onitsha Expressway had been reopened and traffic was moving normally.
Authorities also urged the public to remain vigilant and provide credible information that could assist security agencies.
For now, the strongest verified position remains limited but clear: two buses were attacked, 10 victims were rescued, and police have not yet established the full number abducted.
Until every passenger is accounted for, the story remains open.
