Ten persons have been rescued after suspected armed men attacked two buses carrying prospective National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, members and other passengers along the Owerri-Onitsha Road in Imo State.
The Imo State Police Command said the attack occurred around 6:30 a.m. on Thursday near Umunoha, while the buses were travelling from Ibadan to Uyo in Akwa Ibom State and Bende in Abia State.
The command’s spokesperson, DSP Henry Okoye, confirmed the incident in a statement issued on Thursday evening.
He said the police and other security agencies responded to the attack, recovered both buses and rescued 10 victims at the scene.
“The rescued victims are in safe hands and are being attended to,” Okoye said.
The police, however, said the exact number of people abducted was still being verified and would be made public after confirmation.
Earlier reports put the number of abducted NYSC members at 20, but the police have not confirmed that figure.
Also read: Police rescue NYSC members after highway attack in Kogi
The command said tactical teams and other operational assets had been deployed to rescue the remaining victims and arrest the suspected abductors.
Operatives are conducting coordinated search and rescue operations supported by intelligence-led tracking of the suspects.
The Commissioner of Police in Imo, CP Audu Garba Basso, alongside other service commanders, visited the scene to assess the situation and provide operational direction.
The police also said it was working with the NYSC Directorate to contact the families of affected corps members and keep them informed as the operation continues.
The affected section of the Owerri-Onitsha Expressway has since been reopened, while security personnel have been deployed to protect commuters.
The command urged residents and road users to remain calm and vigilant, while asking anyone with credible information to contact the nearest police station or its emergency lines.
Image caption: Police operatives at the scene of the Owerri-Onitsha Road attack involving buses carrying prospective NYSC members and other passengers.
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