Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma has explained why authorities kept details of the operation to rescue 20 prospective National Youth Service Corps members and another passenger from their abductors away from the public.
The victims regained their freedom on Wednesday after spending six days in captivity, following a joint operation involving the police, military, Department of State Services and other security agencies.
Uzodimma said the decision to restrict information was deliberate, arguing that publicly disclosing operational details while the victims were still being held could have put their lives at greater risk.
In a statement he personally signed, the governor praised the security agencies for their coordination and professionalism throughout the operation. He also acknowledged the cooperation between the Imo and Oyo State governments during the rescue effort.
The victims were abducted on October 1 when gunmen attacked two buses around Umunoha in Mbaitoli Local Government Area along the Owerri-Onitsha Road. The buses were carrying prospective corps members travelling from Ibadan to orientation camps in the South-East and South-South.
The initial security response resulted in the recovery of the two buses and the rescue of 10 victims, but several others were taken into nearby bush paths.
As the search continued, Inspector-General of Police Olatunji Disu deployed the Deputy Inspector-General of Police in charge of Operations, Shehu Umar Nadada, along with additional tactical teams and operational equipment to Imo State.
Security operatives later used drones to locate a suspected hideout linked to the kidnappers. However, an immediate assault was delayed after intelligence indicated that the area could have been fitted with improvised explosive devices.
Imo State Commissioner of Police Audu Garba Bosso had said security forces were preparing bulldozers and armoured personnel carriers to access the location while reducing the danger to both the captives and the rescuers.
The operation unfolded amid reports that the kidnappers demanded ₦50 million for each of 19 prospective corps members, bringing the reported ransom demand to ₦950 million. Some families were reportedly contacted using the phones of their abducted relatives.
Following their release, the victims were taken to the DSS Hospital in Owerri for medical attention.
NYSC Director-General Brigadier General Olakunle Oluseye Nafiu later visited the victims alongside senior security officials, including the Imo State Commissioner of Police, the Director of the DSS and the commander of the 34 Artillery Brigade.
Uzodimma also commended the victims’ parents for their patience throughout the ordeal and urged Nigerians to maintain confidence in ongoing efforts by the government and security agencies to tackle insecurity.
