Rescue Of 20 Abducted Prospective Corps Members Excites Parents

| Release was not free, says parents’ spokesperson

Parents of the 20 prospective National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members abducted in Imo State have expressed relief over their reported rescue, but said their joy would not be complete until they were reunited with their children.

The prospective corps members, who were abducted while travelling to their respective orientation camps, were reportedly rescued on Wednesday following sustained search-and-rescue operations by the police and other security agencies.

One of the affected parents and spokesperson for the families, Alhaja Alimot Akande, who confirmed the development in an interview with newsmen, said the reported rescue had brought considerable relief to families who had spent days in anguish over the fate of their children.

Akande, who had been at the forefront of efforts by the affected families to secure their children’s release, said the parents were grateful that the prospective corps members had regained their freedom, but were still anxious because they had yet to establish direct contact with them.

She said the families had been living in fear and uncertainty since the abduction, adding that they were particularly relieved by the news that their children were alive.

“We are happy that they have been released. This is what every parent has been waiting and praying for. For days, we have been living in fear and uncertainty because we did not know what could happen to our children.

“Now that we have heard that they have been released, we thank God for preserving their lives. But our joy is not yet complete because we have not been able to speak with them ourselves.

“What we have heard is that they are still with the DSS. So, we are waiting for the authorities to allow us to have contact with them and, most importantly, reunite them with their families,” she said.

Parents Bear Ransom Burden

Akande, however, said the reported release had come at a heavy financial cost to the affected families, explaining that the parents had to make separate arrangements after the abductors communicated their ransom demands.

“The release did not come for free. The individual parents were responsible for securing the release of their children in their respective ways because the abductors had given their word regarding the ransom amount.

“Each family had to find a way of dealing with its own situation. We were all desperate to see our children come back alive, and that was the priority for every parent.

“No government gave us anything to support the families towards the release of our children. We had to do what we could as individual families.

“Everybody was looking for a way to bring their child back safely. It was not an easy thing for any of us, but we were prepared to do whatever was necessary within our means to ensure that our children returned alive,” she said.

According to her, the families endured sleepless nights and severe emotional distress throughout the period of the abduction, particularly because they were uncertain about the condition of their children.

“The psychological trauma has been enormous. Imagine having your child travelling to report for NYSC, and then you suddenly hear that the vehicle they were travelling in had been attacked and the occupants abducted.

“You cannot sleep properly. You cannot eat properly. You are constantly thinking about where your child is, what the child is going through and whether the child is still alive.

“We have parents who have been under tremendous pressure. Some had to look for money to meet the demands made by the abductors, while others were simply praying and hoping that the situation would end peacefully,” she said.

Parents Demand Medical, Psychological Care

With the prospective corps members reportedly still in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS) for medical attention, Akande appealed to the authorities to ensure that they received adequate care before being reunited with their families.

“Now that they have been released, our appeal is that the government and security agencies should ensure that these children are properly attended to.

“They need medical attention, psychological support and every necessary assistance because they have gone through a traumatic experience. They should not simply be released and left to deal with the experience on their own,” she said.

She also called for stronger security arrangements for prospective corps members travelling to orientation camps, saying the incident had exposed the vulnerability of young Nigerians travelling to fulfil their national service obligations.

“These are young Nigerians who were simply going to serve their country. They should not be exposed to this kind of danger while travelling to their orientation camps.

“We hope that the authorities will learn from what has happened and put measures in place to prevent a recurrence. The safety of prospective corps members should be taken seriously,” she said.

Other Parents Express Relief

Another affected parent, Mr Femi Adewale, 53, a public servant and father of Feyisayo, one of the abducted prospective corps members, also expressed relief over the development.

Adewale said, “We are very happy and relieved that our children have been released. It has been a very difficult period for us as parents because we did not know what would happen to them.

“The most important thing for us now is to see our children, speak with them and know that they are safe. We thank God for preserving their lives.”

Similarly, Mrs Sade Oyeyemi, 51, whose only daughter, Kemisola, was among those abducted, said confirmation of the release had brought immense relief to her family after days of intense anxiety.

Oyeyemi said, “I am very happy that she has been released. As a mother, especially when the child involved is your only daughter, you cannot explain the kind of fear and pain you go through when you do not know where she is or what is happening to her.

“We have been praying and hoping that they would be released alive. Now that we have heard that they have been released, we are grateful to God. We only want to see her, hear her voice and know that she is truly safe.”

Another affected parent, 55-year-old Mrs Janet Oladosu, also expressed gratitude over the development, saying the confirmation had brought relief after days of fear and sleepless nights.

Oladosu said, “The news of their release is a great relief to us. We have been living in fear and praying for our children. Nobody wants to hear that their child has been abducted, especially when the child was simply travelling to begin the National Youth Service.

“We thank God that they are alive and have been released. What we need now is for them to be brought back safely to their families.”

How 20 Prospective Corps Members Regained Freedom

While the Nigeria Police Force confirmed the rescue of the 20 prospective NYSC members, sources, however, said the victims were released after ransom was paid to their abductors, which they said was why no arrests had been made.

The sources declined to say whether the ransom was paid by the state government or the victims’ parents.

The prospective corps members were reportedly released at Amakohia Ubi on Wednesday morning and taken to a DSS medical facility for treatment.

Efforts to speak with some of the victims were unsuccessful because of heightened security at the facility, where access was restricted. Security operatives also declined to comment on the release.

The victims were reportedly held in the Okigwe area, where their abductors were said to have planted landmines, making rescue operations risky for security operatives.

The 20 prospective corps members, who are from Ibadan, Oyo State, were travelling in two buses to Bende, Abia State, and Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, when they were abducted at Ogbaku, Mbaitoli Local Government Area, along the Owerri-Onitsha Expressway on Thursday, October 1.

The Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Ani Iniedu, confirmed their rescue on Wednesday night.

According to him, the victims were rescued at Amakohia Ubi Village following sustained search-and-rescue operations conducted in collaboration with other security agencies.

He said efforts were ongoing to apprehend the masterminds of the abduction as security operatives continued “coordinated operations towards bringing all culpable persons to justice”.

The statement read:

“The Nigeria Police Force, in collaboration with sister security agencies, has rescued the 20 prospective NYSC corps members abducted in Imo State on 1 October 2026.

“The victims were rescued on 7 October 2026 at Amakohia Ubi Village, Imo State, following sustained search-and-rescue operations. They have since been taken for medical assessment and necessary care.

“Efforts are ongoing to apprehend those responsible for the abduction, as the Police and other security agencies sustain coordinated operations towards bringing all culpable persons to justice.

“The Nigeria Police Force appreciates members of the public for their cooperation and support and remains committed to the protection of lives and property, prompt response to security threats and continued collaboration with sister security agencies.”

The Imo State Commissioner of Police, CP Audu Bosso, had on Saturday said operatives tracked the kidnappers into the bush and deployed drones that identified their suspected location.

Bosso said security personnel could not immediately advance to the location because intelligence indicated that the camp had been mined with improvised explosive devices.

He said bulldozers and armoured personnel carriers would be deployed to gain access to the area and rescue the victims safely.

Uzodimma Commends Security Agencies

Meanwhile, Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma commended the security agencies for securing the release of the 20 prospective corps members kidnapped along the Owerri-Onitsha Road on October 1.

Uzodimma, in a statement he personally signed and made available to newsmen in Owerri on Wednesday, urged Nigerians to have faith in the Federal Government’s efforts to overcome the country’s security challenges.

The governor said he was particularly pleased with the collaboration and patriotism demonstrated by the security agencies in ensuring that the victims were rescued unharmed.

He also commended the Oyo and Imo state governments for their collaborative efforts towards the release of the prospective corps members.

According to him, “the issue involved the security of lives, the government was cautious about releasing too much information to the public, hence the discreet manner in which it was handled”.

He said he was “particularly grateful to the security agencies for the discreet and collaborative manner in which they tackled the challenge”.

Uzodimma also praised the victims’ parents “for their patience during the trying period” and urged Nigerians to have faith in the Federal Government’s efforts to address the country’s security challenges.

APC Celebrates Rescue

In a related development, the Imo State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) expressed joy with the families and relatives of the abducted prospective corps members over their rescue.

The party’s Publicity Secretary, Dr Jones Onwuasoanya, in a statement on Wednesday, said the party was pleased with the successful rescue of the 20 prospective corps members and one civilian abducted by hoodlums while travelling through Imo State.

Onwuasoanya said the combined team of the DSS, Police, military and other security agencies had acted on a directive from the Commander-in-Chief to secure the immediate rescue of the victims.

“We rejoice with the families and relatives of these young patriots over their successful rescue and commend all the gallant security personnel who took part in this audacious and well-coordinated rescue operation for their professionalism, bravery and patriotism,” he said.

The party also assured residents and travellers that the state government would continue efforts to eliminate criminal elements and ensure that Imo remained safe for residents and motorists.