At least 19 prospective National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members and other passengers have reportedly been abducted after gunmen hijacked two 18-seater buses along the Owerri–Onitsha Expressway in Imo State.
The incident reportedly occurred in the early hours of Thursday at the Umunoha axis of Mbaitoli Local Government Area, as the buses conveyed prospective corps members travelling from Ibadan, Oyo State, to their various destinations in the South-East and South-South.
According to reports, the two buses were travelling from Ibadan towards Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, and Bende, Abia State, when the attackers intercepted them.
A source in the area said the assailants forced the passengers out of the vehicles and marched them into a nearby bush before security personnel arrived at the scene.
The exact number of people abducted remains subject to confirmation.
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Mother of Victim Appeals for Help
The mother of one of the reported victims, Mrs. Alimotu Akanke, has appealed to the Federal Government, security agencies and the NYSC management to intensify efforts to secure the safe release of the abducted passengers.
In a social media video, Akanke said her son, Akande Farouq, was travelling to Abia State to participate in the mandatory national service programme.
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She said the passengers left Samonda in Ibadan on Wednesday morning and travelled towards their destinations.
According to her, the family had been monitoring their movement until the early hours of Thursday when communication suddenly stopped.
She said the family received a brief message from the vehicle indicating: “Kidnappers!”
Shortly afterwards, attempts to contact the passengers reportedly failed.
“None of the messages we sent have gotten a response,” she said.
Akanke further explained that her son is a twin and that another member of the family was travelling towards Enugu.
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According to her, a video made from inside one of the vehicles and images of luggage helped the family establish that the passengers were indeed in the affected vehicle.
She said the driver of one of the buses managed to escape, while passengers in the second vehicle were also reportedly attacked.
Families Seek Government Intervention
The distraught mother appealed to the government and security agencies to intervene urgently.
She said the families of the affected passengers were deeply worried and called for every available effort to be deployed to locate and rescue them.
“I am begging the Nigerian Government, all security agencies, and the NYSC management, whatever they can do, please help us,” she appealed.
The incident has heightened concerns over the safety of prospective corps members travelling to their orientation camps and places of primary assignment, particularly along highways in parts of the country.
The prospective corps members reportedly departed from Samonda, Ibadan, Oyo State, on Wednesday, before stopping in Imo State during their journey.
As of the time of this report, further details concerning the identities of the abducted passengers, the exact number of victims and any rescue operation had not been independently confirmed.
Security agencies are expected to provide further information as efforts to locate the victims continue.
