Imo State Governor, Senator Hope Uzodimma, has lauded the country’s security agencies for their swift, coordinated, and patriotic action that secured the safe release of 20 prospective National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members and one civilian. The victims were abducted along the Onitsha-Owerri Road on October 1, 2026, and rescued on October 7, 2026.
​In a official statement personally signed by Governor Uzodimma on Wednesday, October 7, 2026, the governor expressed deep gratitude to the Joint Security Task Force—comprising operatives from the Nigeria Police Force, the Department of State Services (DSS), and the Nigerian Army—for bringing the prospective corps members out unharmed.
​The victims were intercepted by armed gunmen near Umunoha in the Mbaitoli Local Government Area of Imo State while traveling in two buses from Oyo State to their designated orientation camps in Abia and Akwa Ibom states.
​Following seven days of sustained intelligence gathering and tactical operations, which involved drone surveillance and the clearing of heavily mined terrain, the joint force successfully rescued all 20 prospective corps members and a civilian driver. The operation culminated at the Amakohia-Ubi forest in the Owerri West Local Government Area on Wednesday morning.
​Force Public Relations Officer, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, confirmed that the joint rescue effort was conducted with precision to prevent casualties. Following their rescue, the victims were immediately transported to the DSS Hospital in Owerri to undergo medical assessments and receive care.
​Addressing why details were kept under wraps during the ordeal, Governor Uzodimma noted that the government and security forces maintained strict confidentiality to safeguard the lives of the hostages.
​”Since 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,” Governor Uzodimma stated. “I am particularly grateful to the security agencies for the discreet and collaborative manner in which they tackled the challenge.”
​The governor also applauded the collaborative efforts between the Imo State Government and Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, noting that close communication between both state administrations played a key role in supporting the operation.
​At approximately 2:00 PM on Wednesday, October 7, the Director-General of the NYSC, Brigadier General Olakunle Oluseye Nafiu, met with the rescued victims at the DSS Clinic in Owerri. He was accompanied by the Imo State Commissioner of Police, Aboki Danjuma, the State Director of the DSS, and the Commander of the 34 Artillery Brigade, Obinze.
​Brigadier General Nafiu assured the corps members and their families that their welfare remain top priority, praising their resilience throughout the week-long ordeal.
​Governor Uzodimma extended his gratitude to the affected parents for their patience and fortitude during the trying period, while urging all Nigerians to maintain faith in the Federal Government’s ongoing efforts to resolve security challenges across the nation. Security forces continue to comb the Amakohia-Ubi forest axis to apprehend the fleeing members of the syndicate responsible for the abduction.
