Security operatives deploy drone surveillance and specialized tactical assets to rescue kidnapped youth safely.
Security agencies in Imo State have pinpointed the hidden forest camp where 19 prospective National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members are being held hostage, following their abduction along the Owerri-Onitsha Expressway.
The update comes after two commercial buses transporting the corps members from Ibadan, Oyo State, to orientation camps in Abia and Akwa Ibom states were ambushed by heavily armed men on Thursday, October 1, near the Umunoha axis in Mbaitoli Local Government Area.
Surveillance Identifies Hideout Mined With Explosives
Providing crucial operational updates, the Imo State Police Command revealed that drone surveillance and intelligence tracking led security teams directly to the armed gang’s forest hideout.
However, rescue operatives face significant technical hurdles, as intelligence reports indicate that the surrounding perimeter of the camp has been heavily mined with Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) by the abductors.
Imo State Commissioner of Police, Audu Bosso, confirmed that tactical units are exercising strategic caution to ensure the safety of the hostages while preparing specialized heavy-duty armored assets to breach the site.
“Reliable intelligence indicates that the area around the camp of the gunmen, where the corps members are being held, is heavily mined with Improvised Explosive Devices,” Commissioner Bosso stated. “Arrangements are being made to deploy specialized armored vehicles to breach and penetrate the camp safely.”
Ransom Demands and Ongoing Rescue Efforts
Distressed family members revealed that the kidnappers established contact through the victims’ mobile phones, initially demanding a massive ransom of ₦50 million per head—totalling ₦950 million—before lowering negotiations down to ₦5 million per victim.
The Inspector-General of Police has dispatched additional tactical personnel and specialized tracking equipment to reinforce joint security teams, which include troops from the Nigerian Army’s 34 Artillery Brigade.
Military and police joint units previously rescued at least 10 passengers directly at the ambush scene shortly after the initial attack took place on Thursday.
Security agencies have assured distraught parents and the general public that tactical operations remain ongoing to neutralize the explosive threats and secure the unharmed release of all remaining captives.
