Abduction Scare On Owerri–Onitsha Road: INC Demands Urgent Rescue Of 20 Prospective NYSC Members

The Igbo National Council (INC) Worldwide has strongly condemned the reported abduction of 20 prospective National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members along the Owerri–Onitsha Road near Umunoha in Mbaitoli Local Government Area of Imo State.

The incident reportedly occurred on Thursday, October 1, 2026, when the victims, who were travelling from Ibadan to various NYSC orientation camps across the South-East and South-South, were allegedly attacked by suspected kidnappers.

In a statement signed by its President, Chilos Godsent, on October 4, 2026, the INC commended the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) for the swift deployment of personnel from the Nigeria Police Force, Nigerian Army, Department of State Services (DSS) and other security agencies to locate and rescue the victims.

The group also welcomed the deployment of additional police leadership and tactical teams to reinforce the ongoing rescue operation.

However, the INC urged security agencies to urgently incorporate credible, properly vetted and coordinated community vigilantes into the search-and-rescue efforts.

According to the group, community-based security personnel could provide valuable local intelligence and guide conventional security forces through forests, bushes, communities, routes and difficult terrains that may be challenging to navigate without local knowledge.

The INC stressed that such community security personnel must operate under the command and coordination of conventional security agencies to ensure discipline, safety and operational effectiveness.

The group further called on security agencies to:

1. Sustain the search-and-rescue operation until all the victims are safely recovered.
2. Strengthen intelligence gathering and surveillance around Umunoha and adjoining communities.
3. Engage traditional rulers, community leaders and credible local security structures to obtain actionable information.
4. Intensify efforts to protect commuters and residents along the Owerri–Onitsha corridor.
5. Keep the public and families of the affected victims adequately informed about developments.
6. Ensure that the perpetrators, when apprehended, are brought to justice in accordance with the law.

The INC also appealed to residents and members of the public with credible information that could assist the rescue operation to immediately report such information to the appropriate security authorities.

The Igbo National Council (INC) Worldwide expressed solidarity with the affected families and called for the safe, unconditional and immediate rescue of all the abducted prospective corps members.

Signed:
Chilos Godsent
President, INC
October 4, 2026