Inspector-General of Police Olatunji Disu has deployed the Deputy Inspector-General of Police in charge of Operations, Shehu Umar Nadada, to Imo State to coordinate efforts to rescue people abducted along the Owerri-Onitsha Road.
The victims were attacked by gunmen on Thursday, 1st October, near Umunoha in Mbaitoli Local Government Area while travelling to National Youth Service Corps orientation camps in the South-East and South-South.
Police said two buses carrying NYSC members and other passengers from Ibadan were attacked at about 6:30 a.m.
The buses were travelling toward Uyo, Akwa Ibom, and Bende, Abia, respectively.
The Imo State Police Command initially said 10 victims had been rescued and that it was still verifying the number of people abducted.
The Defence Headquarters later said 20 people were abducted from the two buses, while 10 passengers, including eight prospective corps members, had been rescued.
A joint operation involving the military, police, Department of State Services and Nigerian Air Force continued for those still missing.
Police spokesman CSP Anietie Iniedu said Nadada arrived in Imo with two commissioners of police and conducted an on-the-spot assessment of the rescue operation.
He said additional tactical teams and operational assets had been deployed to identified areas, supported by intelligence-led tracking of the suspects.
“The Nigeria Police Force is committed to securing the safe rescue of the 20 abducted persons and will sustain the operation until the mission is successfully concluded,” Nadada said through Iniedu.
Nadada also urged the public and media to remain calm and vigilant, while asking anyone with credible information to contact the police or nearest security formation.
“All information received will be treated with strict confidentiality,” Iniedu said, adding that further updates would be issued as the operation progresses.
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