The leadership of the Igbo National Council (INC) Worldwide has strongly condemned the abduction of prospective National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members at Umunoha in the Mbaitoli Local Government Area of Imo State. The tragic incident took place along the Owerri–Onitsha express corridor on Thursday, October 1, 2026.
​The victims were reportedly ambushed and forced into the surrounding bush at gunpoint by heavily armed assailants while en route to their designated orientation camps.
​In a press statement issued on Tuesday morning, October 6, 2026, in Owerri, the President of the INC Worldwide, Mr. Chilos Godsent, expressed deep shock and indignation over the security breach, emphasizing that the council stands in firm solidarity with the affected families.
​”The Igbo National Council Worldwide stands in solidarity with the affected families and calls for the safe, unconditional, and immediate rescue of all the victims,” Godsent stated.
​The INC leadership outlined specific measures for security agencies to prioritise. Ensure a search and rescue operation until everyone of them is safely returned, enhance surveillance and tactical coverage along the Owerri–Onitsha highway corridor and surrounding communities in Mbaitoli.
Engage traditional rulers, local leaders, and credible vigilante networks to gather actionable intelligence.
​Following the October 1 ambush, the Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, ordered top tactical personnel, led by the Deputy Inspector-General of Police (Operations), DIG Shehu Nadada, to relocate to Imo State to oversee search-and-rescue efforts.
​Alongside Imo State Police Commissioner Audu Bosso and Federal Operations Chief Akpan Anifiok, tactical teams, supported by local security operatives and air surveillance, have intensified operations around identified hideouts along the Mbaitoli axis.
​Imo State Police Public Relations Officer, Henry Okoye, confirmed that security forces are working round the clock to ensure all victims return home safely to their families.
​The INC Worldwide concluded its statement by appealing to residents of Umunoha and neighboring communities to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity or actionable intelligence to law enforcement agencies immediately.
