Police Locate Suspected Camp Holding 19 Prospective NYSC Members In Imo
E-ISSN: 2354-4481
By William Ndubuisi
The Imo State Police Command has located a suspected camp where 19 prospective National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members abducted in the state are believed to be held.
The Commissioner of Police, Audu Garba Bosso, disclosed that security operatives traced the suspected abductors into the bush and used drones on Friday to identify the location of the camp.
According to Bosso, security agencies have yet to enter the suspected camp because intelligence indicated that improvised explosive devices (IEDs) may have been planted around the area.
He said security personnel were making preparations to move into the location with heavy equipment, including bulldozers and armoured personnel carriers, to enable them gain access and rescue the victims safely.
The prospective corps members were reportedly abducted on Thursday while travelling from Ibadan, Oyo State, to NYSC orientation camps in Abia and Akwa Ibom states.
The victims were said to have been travelling in two buses when the attackers intercepted them along the Owerri-Onitsha Road in the Umunoha area of Imo State.
The attackers reportedly took the passengers into the bush after stopping the buses.
The Managing Director of Uko Akwa Ibom Motors, Isiah Akpan, said the drivers of the buses managed to escape and alerted security personnel at a nearby checkpoint.
Their alert reportedly triggered a search operation by security agencies, leading to efforts to track the abductors and locate the victims.
The abductors have reportedly demanded a ransom of ₦50 million for each victim. If the reported demand applies to all 19 prospective corps members, the total ransom would amount to ₦950 million.
Some families of the abducted passengers have also reportedly been contacted through the phones of their relatives, according to reports surrounding the incident.
The police had earlier announced that 10 victims were rescued during the operation. However, the command said it could not immediately confirm whether the rescued persons were among the prospective corps members abducted from the two buses.
The latest development has intensified security efforts around the suspected location as operatives prepare to enter the area.
Authorities are expected to deploy specialised equipment and personnel to deal with the reported explosive threat before advancing into the camp.
Security agencies are continuing the operation with the objective of safely reaching the suspected camp and rescuing the remaining victims.
The incident has heightened concerns over the safety of travellers along the Owerri-Onitsha corridor, particularly following the abduction of the prospective corps members who were travelling to commence their national service.
The police and other security agencies have not provided further details on the exact location of the suspected camp or the identities of the abductors, citing the ongoing rescue operation.
