Susan Abayomi
Families of prospective National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members from Oyo State have been thrown into anxiety following the abduction of passengers travelling to orientation camps in Abia and Akwa Ibom states.
The victims were travelling from Ibadan when two buses were attacked by gunmen along the Owerri-Onitsha Road in Imo State on Thursday, October 1, 2026.
The Managing Director of Uko Akwa Ibom Motors Nigeria Limited, Isiah Akpan, whose company operated the buses, confirmed the incident.
According to Akpan, the abductors contacted some of the victims’ families and demanded N50 million for each abducted passenger.
The two buses reportedly departed from Bodija/Samonda Park in Ibadan on Wednesday. Akpan said heavy traffic around Benin, Edo State, delayed their journey, with the buses eventually reaching Onitsha, Anambra State, later that day.
He said the drivers and passengers subsequently spent the night in Oba before resuming their journey at about 5 a.m. on Thursday.
According to Akpan, the buses had barely entered Imo State when gunmen emerged from the bush, blocked the vehicles and forced passengers into the bush.
The drivers reportedly escaped and alerted security personnel at a nearby checkpoint, prompting security agencies to launch a search operation.
The Imo State Police Command initially said 10 victims had been rescued and that the exact number of people abducted was still being verified.
However, the Defence Headquarters later said 20 people were abducted from the two buses, which were carrying a total of 30 passengers. The military said 10 passengers, including eight prospective corps members, were subsequently rescued.
The police have since intensified efforts to rescue those still in captivity and apprehend the suspected abductors. The Inspector-General of Police, Tunji Disu, also deployed the Deputy Inspector-General of Police in charge of Operations, Shehu Nadada, alongside additional police personnel, to coordinate the rescue operation.
The reported ransom demands have heightened concerns among relatives of the missing passengers.
Some parents have appealed to the Oyo State and Federal Governments to intensify efforts to secure the safe release of their children.
One parent, Olawale Olalere, appealed to President Bola Tinubu and Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde for assistance, saying the families were deeply worried about the safety of the affected corps members.
Another parent, Mrs Oladosu, said her daughter, Greatness, was travelling to Uyo when she was abducted. She said the family was briefly contacted through her daughter’s phone and that the victims were seen during a video call.
Another victim’s mother, Alimotu Akanke, said her son, Akande Farouq, who was posted to Abia State, managed to send a brief message to the family’s WhatsApp group before communication was lost.
Friends and relatives of some of the affected passengers have also begun using social media to appeal for assistance and call for their safe release.
The Oyo State Government has condemned the abduction and assured affected families that efforts were being made to secure the release of the victims.
The Executive Assistant to Governor Seyi Makinde on Security, Sunday Odukoya, reportedly met with relatives of the abducted corps members at the Oyo State Government Secretariat and assured them that the governor was working with relevant stakeholders on the matter.
Meanwhile, security agencies continue their coordinated search-and-rescue operation to locate the remaining abducted passengers and apprehend those responsible for the attack.
