Security operatives from the Department of State Services, the military and the police have arrested five suspected members of a criminal gang allegedly involved in the abduction of 20 prospective National Youth Service Corps members in Imo State.
The arrests followed intelligence-led operations carried out between October 10 and 14 in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, and Aba South Local Government Area of Abia State. Three other suspected members of the gang reportedly escaped with gunshot injuries, triggering a wider manhunt.
The prospective corps members were abducted by armed men along the Owerri–Onitsha Expressway on October 1, 2026, while travelling to their assigned orientation camps in Abia and Akwa Ibom states.
They were subsequently rescued on October 7 during a joint security operation at Amakohia Ubi Village. The latest arrests are expected to support ongoing efforts to identify other members of the alleged criminal network and establish the roles played by those apprehended.
Security sources said the operation was driven by intelligence gathering and sustained efforts to track the suspected abductors after the victims were rescued. The sources described the arrests as a major development in the pursuit of those allegedly responsible for the incident.
One security source expressed relief over the development, saying agencies had maintained a manhunt and expected the suspects to face prosecution. The source also expressed confidence that the arrests would help advance efforts to secure justice for the victims.
The involvement of multiple security agencies highlights the importance of coordination in responding to serious crimes that cross state boundaries. The operations in Rivers and Abia followed an abduction that occurred in Imo, demonstrating the geographical reach of the investigation.
Although five suspects have been arrested, three others are reportedly still at large. Security operatives are continuing efforts to locate them and establish whether additional individuals were involved in planning or carrying out the abduction.
The case has renewed attention on the safety of young Nigerians travelling to fulfil their national service obligations. The 20 prospective corps members were on their way to orientation camps when they were seized, making their rescue and the subsequent arrests significant developments in the case.
The suspects remain alleged participants in the crime, and their culpability will need to be established through the appropriate legal process.
Deborah Adeyefa
