Five suspected members of a criminal gang allegedly linked to the abduction of 20 prospective corps members in Imo State have been arrested in joint operations involving the Department of State Services (DSS), the military and the police.
The suspects were arrested during intelligence-led operations conducted in parts of Rivers and Abia states between October 10 and 14.
Security sources said the operations took place in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, and Aba South Local Government Area of Abia State.
Three other suspects reportedly escaped during the raids with gunshot injuries, triggering further efforts by security agencies to locate and apprehend them.
The operation followed the abduction of 20 prospective National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members on October 1, 2026, along the Owerri–Onitsha Expressway in Imo State.
The victims were travelling to their assigned orientation camps in Abia and Akwa Ibom states when armed men intercepted and abducted them.
They were eventually rescued on October 7 during a joint security operation at Amakohia Ubi Village in Imo State.
The arrests are part of ongoing efforts to track down those allegedly responsible for the incident, dismantle the criminal network and ensure that everyone involved is brought to justice.
A security source described the development as a major relief, saying security agencies had sustained an extensive manhunt for the suspected abductors following the incident.
Investigations are expected to continue as operatives pursue the three suspects who escaped and work to establish the full extent of the gang’s involvement in the abduction.
Leave a Reply