Ten people abducted along the Owerri-Onitsha Road in Imo State have been rescued by security operatives, the state police command has said.
The victims were among passengers travelling in two buses attacked by suspected gunmen near Umunoha, Mbaitoli Local Government Area, at about 6:30am on Thursday.
The buses were carrying National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members and other passengers travelling from Ibadan, Oyo State, to orientation camps in Akwa Ibom and Abia states.
The police said tactical teams and other security personnel were deployed immediately after the attack, with intelligence-led tracking being used to locate the abductors and remaining victims.
In a statement issued by the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Henry Okoye, the command said the rescued victims were safe and receiving attention.
“The rescued victims are in safe hands and are being attended to,” the command said, adding that the exact number of people abducted was still being verified.
The incident was initially reported as the abduction of 20 corps members travelling to orientation camps in the South-East and South-South.
The Commissioner of Police, Audu Bosso, and other service commanders visited the scene for an on-the-spot assessment and directed the ongoing rescue operation.
The police said the operation would continue until all the victims were recovered and the suspects apprehended.
Meanwhile, the affected section of the Owerri-Onitsha Expressway has been reopened, with normal traffic restored and security personnel deployed to protect commuters.
The command said it was also working with the NYSC to contact the families of the affected corps members and provide updates on the operation.
It urged members of the public to remain vigilant and provide credible information that could assist the security agencies, assuring that such information would be treated confidentially.
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