19 Prospective NYSC Members feared abducted as gunmen hijack two buses in Imo

At least 19 prospective National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members are feared to have been abducted after gunmen reportedly hijacked two 18-seater buses along the Owerri-Onitsha Expressway in Imo State.

The incident reportedly occurred in the early hours of Thursday around the Umunoha axis of Mbaitoli Local Government Area, while the passengers were travelling from Ibadan, Oyo State, to their respective destinations in Abia and Akwa Ibom states.

The prospective corps members were said to have been heading to their states of deployment when the assailants intercepted the vehicles and marched some of the passengers into a nearby bush.

A source in the area said the attackers had taken the passengers away before security operatives arrived at the scene.

The mother of one of the missing passengers, Mrs Alimotu Akanke, has appealed to the Federal Government, security agencies and NYSC management to intervene and secure their release.

In a social media video, Akanke identified her son as Akande Farouq, who was travelling to Abia State for the mandatory national service.

She said the passengers departed from Samonda in Ibadan at about 9 a.m. on Wednesday and later stopped after Onitsha to rest overnight.

According to her, the family had been monitoring their journey before receiving a brief message indicating that they had been attacked by kidnappers.

“What happened is that my child, Akande Farouq, was going to serve in Abia State. He left the park yesterday. Their vehicle departed from Samonda at 10 a.m.

“So, about 10 p.m., they had stopped somewhere after Onitsha. They parked after Onitsha to sleep. We were monitoring their progress.

“But at 4:30 a.m., their vehicle started moving again. They were on their way, and we were tracking them as they travelled.

“The next thing we saw was a brief text message: ‘Kidnappers!’ Immediately after sending ‘kidnappers’, the person could not communicate again. Since then, we haven’t been able to reach them or talk to them,” she said.

Akanke explained that the family received further information suggesting that passengers from the two vehicles had been taken, although some reportedly escaped alongside one of the drivers.

She said a relative travelling in the second vehicle had recorded a video, while images of luggage inside one of the buses helped the family identify the vehicle involved.

“For the second vehicle, they said five people were taken, while others escaped along with the driver. So, in total, there are about 19 passengers who boarded from Ibadan that we know of,” she added.

Appealing for urgent intervention, the distraught mother called on the Nigerian government, security agencies and NYSC authorities to do everything possible to ensure the safe return of the victims.

“I am begging the Nigerian Government, all security agencies, and the NYSC management, whatever they can do, please help us.

“Think of the effort put into raising them, only for them to be abducted on their way to serve their nation. God, please have mercy on me,” she said.

The incident has raised concerns over the safety of prospective corps members travelling to their states of deployment, as families await further information about the missing passengers.

The exact number of abducted passengers and their whereabouts were not independently established in the account provided.

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