Henry Okoye, spokesman for the Imo State Police Command, has confirmed that National Youth Service Corps members were among passengers abducted after gunmen attacked two buses along the Owerri-Onitsha Expressway near Umunoha on Thursday morning, with 10 victims rescued at the scene.

The attack occurred at about 6:30am on October 1, 2026, when the two buses, travelling from Ibadan towards Uyo in Akwa Ibom State and Bende in Abia State, respectively, were intercepted by suspected armed men.

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The buses were carrying prospective corps members and other passengers, according to the police.

Okoye said both buses had been recovered after a swift response by the police and other security agencies, while the 10 rescued victims were taken to safety and were receiving attention.

“The exact number of persons abducted is being verified and will be made public once confirmed,” Okoye said in a statement.

The clarification is significant because reports circulating earlier in the day had suggested that as many as 20 prospective corps members were abducted. The police, however, have not confirmed that figure and are still establishing the total number of people taken during the attack.

The latest NYSC abduction has triggered a coordinated search operation involving the police and other security agencies, with operatives using intelligence-led tracking to locate the suspected attackers and rescue anyone still in captivity.

Audu Bosso, Commissioner of Police in Imo State, visited the scene alongside other service commanders for an on-the-spot assessment and to provide operational direction.

Okoye said the police command would sustain the operation until all victims were safely recovered and those responsible for the attack were brought to justice.

The command is also working with the NYSC Directorate to contact the families of affected corps members and keep them informed as the rescue operation develops.

The incident has renewed concerns about the safety of young graduates travelling across state lines to reach NYSC orientation camps.

The Owerri-Onitsha corridor has previously been identified by travellers as a difficult stretch, although the circumstances and wider pattern of security incidents along the route require careful distinction from the facts established in Thursday’s attack.

For commuters, the immediate disruption was eased after the affected section of the expressway was reopened. Security personnel remained deployed along the road to protect travellers and maintain traffic flow.

The police appealed for calm and urged members of the public to remain vigilant, particularly those travelling through the affected area.

The command also called for credible information that could assist the operation, assuring members of the public that information provided would be treated confidentially.

For the families of the affected corps members, however, the central concern remains the safe return of those who have not yet been accounted for.

The police have yet to announce the final number of abducted passengers or disclose whether any contact has been established with the suspected kidnappers.

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For now, authorities have confirmed the attack on two buses, the involvement of prospective NYSC members, the rescue of 10 victims and the continuation of a search operation for those still missing.