Gunmen have attacked two commercial buses carrying prospective members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) and other passengers along the Owerri-Onitsha Road in Imo State, with several people reportedly abducted.

The incident occurred at about 6:30 a.m. on Thursday near Umunoha in Mbaitoli Local Government Area, according to the Imo State Police Command. The buses were travelling from Ibadan, Oyo State, to NYSC orientation camps in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, and Bende, Abia State.

10 Victims Rescued

The police said security personnel responded to the attack and recovered both buses, while 10 victims were rescued at the scene.

Police spokesperson DSP Henry Okoye said the exact number of people still in captivity was being verified at the time of the statement.

The command said tactical teams and other operational assets had been deployed to comb the surrounding areas and track the suspected abductors.

Families Raise Alarm

The incident has caused concern among relatives of the prospective corps members, who had travelled from Ibadan to report at their orientation camps.

Vanguard reported that one of the affected families received a distress message from a passenger shortly after the buses resumed their journey in the early hours of Thursday. The passenger reportedly sent a brief message indicating that kidnappers had attacked before becoming unreachable.

A relative identified as Mrs Alimotu Akanke appealed to the government, security agencies and NYSC management to intensify efforts to secure the release of those still missing.

Security Agencies Continue Rescue Operation

The police said the Commissioner of Police, Audu Garba Bosso, alongside other security commanders, visited the scene and directed the ongoing search-and-rescue operation.

The Nigerian Army also reported that troops of Operation UDO KA rescued 10 prospective corps members abducted from two commercial buses along the Onitsha-Owerri Road. The Army said troops were working with the Nigerian Navy, Nigerian Air Force, Nigeria Police Force and Department of State Services to locate the remaining victims.

The affected section of the road was subsequently reopened to traffic, while security personnel remained deployed in the area.

The identities of the attackers and the exact number of people still in captivity had not been conclusively established in the initial reports.