IBADAN/OWERRI — Armed gunmen abducted approximately 20 prospective members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) early on Thursday, October 1, 2026 — Nigeria’s Independence Day — after intercepting two commercial buses travelling from Ibadan, Oyo State, to orientation camps in the South-East and South-South, including Akwa Ibom State.
The two Toyota Hiace buses, operated by Uko Akwa Ibom Motors Nigeria Ltd, boarded passengers in the Samonda area of Ibadan.
They were heading to NYSC orientation camps when the attackers stopped them around 5:30–6:30 a.m. near Okpaaku village or the Umunoha community along the Owerri–Onitsha Road in Imo State.
According to the transport company and eyewitness accounts, the buses carried a combined total of about 30 passengers, with roughly 15 in each vehicle.
The 20 abducted passengers were all prospective corps members (PCMs) of the 2026 Batch C Stream I set travelling for their mandatory three-week orientation. The remaining passengers were left behind and later conveyed safely onward. Some reports indicated that drivers and additional travellers may also have been taken in the broader incident.
A distressed relative of one of the victims, captured in a video that circulated widely on social media, appealed for parents and families whose children left for camps in Akwa Ibom, Abia, Imo or Enugu to urgently seek information.
She said a sister had contacted the family that morning to report the kidnapping, and that a driver had confirmed the attack. Families later gathered at the Ibadan motor park seeking updates.
Videos from the scene showed crowds gathered on the road amid palm trees, abandoned vehicles (including one bearing Akwa Ibom State registration), and security activity. Eyewitnesses reported that military and police personnel were searching nearby bushes for the abductees.
The Imo State Police Command confirmed the attack on the two buses conveying NYSC members and other passengers from Ibadan toward destinations including Uyo in Akwa Ibom and Bende in Abia. Police Public Relations Officer DSP Henry Okoye said tactical teams and operational assets were deployed. Ten victims were rescued at the scene, and the two buses were recovered. The exact number of those still missing was being verified.
Commissioner of Police Audu Garba Bosso and other service commanders visited the location for an on-the-spot assessment. Security agencies, including the police, military, Navy, Air Force and Department of State Services, launched coordinated search-and-rescue operations and intelligence-led efforts to track the suspects. Some accounts described the attackers as Fulani herdsmen, though security agencies had not publicly confirmed their identities.
The incident has heightened longstanding concerns about the safety of young Nigerians travelling long distances for national service amid persistent insecurity on major highways, particularly in the South-East. It has also prompted renewed public calls on social media for a review of the NYSC programme, including suggestions to allow service within geopolitical zones until security improves.
As of Thursday evening, efforts continued to locate and free any remaining victims and bring the perpetrators to justice. No official confirmation of ransom demands had been publicly reported. Authorities urged the public to remain vigilant while investigations proceed.
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