OYO GOVT MOBILISES FOR RESCUE OF KIDNAPPED CORPS MEMBERS IN IMO

OYO GOVT STEPS INTO RESCUE EFFORT

The Oyo State Government says it is engaging with relevant authorities on all fronts to secure the release of corps members from the state who were abducted by suspected gunmen in Imo State.

The government said it is working with security agencies, the Imo State Government and the National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, as efforts continue to locate and rescue the victims.

Oyo State Commissioner for Information, Prince Dotun Oyelade, disclosed this in a statement issued in Ibadan on Friday.

“We are fully committed to securing the safe release of our children and will stop at nothing to ensure that they are reunited with their families without harm,” Oyelade said.

He said Governor Seyi Makinde had directed that all necessary resources be deployed towards securing the victims.

HOW THE ABDUCTION HAPPENED

The prospective corps members were travelling from Ibadan towards orientation camps in the South-East and South-South when two buses were attacked along the Owerri-Onitsha Road in Imo State.

The attack occurred at about 6:30am on Thursday, October 1, around Umunoha in Mbaitoli Local Government Area.

The two buses were reportedly travelling towards Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, and Bende, Abia State. The Imo State Police Command said suspected armed men attacked the buses while they were conveying NYSC members and other passengers.

According to the police, both buses were recovered following the intervention of security personnel, while 10 victims were rescued at the scene.

However, the command said the exact number of people abducted was still being verified.police said tactical teams and other security personnel had been deployed for a coordinated search and rescue operation.

POLICE CONTINUE SEARCH

Imo State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Henry Okoye, said the operation was being supported by intelligence-led tracking of the suspected abductors.

“The exact number of persons abducted is being verified and will be made public once confirmed,” Okoye said.

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He said the Commissioner of Police, CP Audu Bosso, alongside other service commanders, visited the scene to assess the situation and provide operational direction.

The police also said they were working with the NYSC Directorate to establish contact with the families of the affected corps members and keep them informed as developments unfold.

The command appealed for calm and vigilance, while urging anyone with credible information about the whereabouts of the victims or the suspected abductors to contact the police.

MAKINDE ASSURES FAMILIES

The Oyo Government said it understands the distress caused by the abduction and expressed solidarity with the affected young Nigerians and their families.

According to the government, Makinde has directed that necessary resources be made available to support the rescue efforts.

The government also said it was maintaining communication with the relevant security agencies, the Imo State Government and NYSC leadership to ensure that the response remains coordinated and focused on the safe recovery of the victims.

It urged the families of the abducted corps members to remain calm while security agencies continue the operation. The government also called on security agencies to intensify their efforts to rescue the victims and bring those responsible for the attack to justice.

NUMBER OF ABDUCTED VICTIMS STILL UNCLEAR

Reports from families and other sources have given different figures for the number of people taken during the attack.

Some reports have put the number of prospective corps members abducted at 19, while other accounts have given lower figures.

The police, however, have not confirmed a final figure. The command’s official position remains that the exact number of abducted persons is being verified.

This distinction is important as the rescue operation continues and families seek confirmed information about their relatives.

FAMILIES WAIT FOR NEWS

The incident has left families of the affected prospective corps members waiting for information on their whereabouts and condition.

One mother, Alimot Akande, has appealed for urgent intervention after losing contact with her daughter during the journey.

According to her account, the family was monitoring the journey when they received a brief message indicating that kidnappers had attacked the vehicle.

Communication subsequently stopped.

Other family accounts have also emerged as authorities work to establish the identities and number of those still missing.

ValidViewNetwork reports that the immediate focus remains the safe recovery of everyone still in captivity, while the police continue to establish the full number of victims and pursue those responsible for the attack.

The Oyo Government’s assurance comes as security agencies continue the search operation in Imo and families await confirmed information on their loved ones.