Security operatives have arrested five suspected members of the gang linked to the abduction of 20 National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members in Imo State, Nigeria. The arrests were made during intelligence‑led operations carried out by the Department of State Services (DSS), the military and the police in Rivers and Abia states between 10 and 14 October, according to a report from the Nigerian Television Authority.
The joint operation also saw three other suspects escape, some sustaining injuries of varying degrees. The arrests follow a series of coordinated search‑and‑rescue efforts that began after the corps members were seized earlier in the month.
The abduction occurred in the early hours of 1 October when gunmen attacked two 18‑seater buses travelling from Ibadan, the capital of Oyo State, to Akwa Ibom and Abia states. The buses, marked with the Abia State Government logo, were intercepted and the passengers were taken into the bush. Imo State police spokesperson Henry Okoye said the attack happened at about 6:30 a.m., and that 10 of the victims were rescued shortly after the incident.
Kidnapper demands initially called for a ransom of ₦1 billion, giving the victims’ families a 24‑hour deadline. The gang later reduced the demand to ₦5 million per victim, bringing the total to ₦100 million for all 20 corps members.
On 7 October, Nigeria Police Force spokesperson Anietie Iniedu announced that a joint DSS‑military‑police team had rescued the corps members after sustained operations at Amakohia Ubi village in Imo State.
“Our family paid ₦6 million to secure my son’s release,” said Alirat Wahab, the mother of one of the rescued corps members, contradicting the official account of a rescue without payment.
Wahab and her husband, Obasanjo, later stated that the money they contributed toward the ransom was refunded, adding another layer of complexity to the incident’s aftermath.
<small>Source: The Sun Nigeria — read the original story there.</small>
