The Oyo State Government has officially welcomed the release of the 20 prospective members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) who were abducted in Imo State, while calling on the Federal Government to take decisive and intensified action against the persistent wave of banditry and kidnapping across the nation.
​The prospective corps members were ambushed and taken into captivity on Thursday, October 1, 2026, near Umunoha along the Owerri-Onitsha Expressway in the Mbaitoli Local Government Area of Imo State. The victims were traveling in two commercial vehicles from Ibadan, Oyo State, to their designated NYSC orientation camps in Abia and Akwa Ibom states when gunmen intercepted their convoy.
​Speaking on behalf of the administration in Ibadan on Wednesday, October 7, 2026, the Oyo State Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Mr. Dotun Oyelade, expressed profound relief over the safe return of the youth.
​”Oyo State Government is relieved at the release of our children from the bondage of abduction once again,” Oyelade stated. “We congratulate the Imo and Oyo State Governments, as well as the Federal Government, over this successful development.”
​However, the Commissioner emphasized that the ordeal should serve as a stark wake-up call for federal authorities to strengthen national security architecture and stem the tide of recurring abductions targeting travelers and youth corps members on interstate routes.
​The 20 prospective corps members and one additional civilian traveler regained their freedom on Wednesday morning following a joint search-and-rescue operation launched by security forces in the Amakohia-Ubi forest, situated within the Owerri West Local Government Area of Imo State.
​Following their rescue, the victims were evacuated to the Department of State Services (DSS) Hospital in Owerri, where they are currently undergoing comprehensive medical checks and receiving psychological support.
​The Director-General of the NYSC, Brigadier General Olakunle Oluseye Nafiu, visited the medical facility on Wednesday to evaluate the condition of the rescued victims.
He was accompanied by top security officials, including: Imo State Commissioner of Police, CP Aboki Danjuma, Commander of the 34 Artillery Brigade, Obinze, Imo State and State Director of the Department of State Services (DSS).
​Addressing the prospective corps members at the hospital, Brigadier General Nafiu commended the joint security task force for their rescue efforts and assured the victims and their families of the scheme’s unwavering commitment to their safety and welfare.
​The incident, which saw the abductors initially demand a ransom of ₦50 million per victim before lowering their demands, sparked widespread outrage across the country and led to protests by affected families at the Oyo State Government Secretariat in Agodi, Ibadan.
​While expressing gratitude for the positive outcome, the Oyo State Government maintained that a more proactive security approach is necessary to prevent highway abductions, urging federal security agencies to deploy enhanced surveillance technology, secure major transit corridors, and flush out criminal enclaves across the geopolitical zones.
