Drone Locates NYSC Abductors’ Camp in Imo as IED Threat Delays Rescue

Security operatives in Imo State have located the suspected hideout where abducted prospective National Youth Service Corps members are being held.

However, the rescue operation has been slowed by intelligence that the area may have been planted with improvised explosive devices.

The Imo State Commissioner of Police, Audu Garba Bosso, disclosed the development while giving an update on efforts to rescue the victims.

According to Bosso, security personnel tracked the suspected kidnappers into the bush before using drone surveillance to establish the location of their camp.

He explained that the security agencies could not immediately move into the location because of the suspected explosives.

The police commissioner said security forces were working on a safe approach to the area as efforts continued to secure the release of the abducted passengers.

Security forces intensify rescue operation

The development has triggered a coordinated response involving the police and other security agencies.

The Inspector-General of Police, Tunji Disu, had earlier deployed Deputy Inspector-General of Police Shehu Nadada, alongside additional senior officers, to coordinate the rescue operation in Imo State.

The police said tactical teams and other operational resources had been deployed as part of an intelligence-led search for the abductors and their victims.

Meanwhile, the Defence Headquarters said troops of Operation UDO KA, working with the police, Department of State Services and Nigerian Air Force, were involved in the search-and-rescue effort.

How the NYSC members were abducted

The incident occurred on October 1, 2026, when suspected gunmen attacked two buses along the Owerri-Onitsha Road in Imo State.

The buses were carrying passengers travelling from Ibadan, Oyo State, towards NYSC orientation camps in the South-East and South-South.

According to the Imo State Police Command, the attack happened around the Umunoha area of Mbaitoli Local Government Area.

The attackers reportedly intercepted the buses before taking several passengers into the surrounding area.

Initial reports indicated that about 20 prospective corps members were among those travelling on the buses. The police subsequently confirmed that 10 victims had been rescued following the attack.

Defence Headquarters gives update on victims

The Defence Headquarters later provided further details about the incident.

According to the military, a total of 20 passengers were abducted from the two buses, including several prospective corps members.

Ten passengers were subsequently rescued, with eight of those rescued identified as prospective corps members.

The remaining victims were still the subject of an ongoing search-and-rescue operation.

Subsequent reports identified 19 prospective corps members as still being held by the abductors, reflecting the changing information as security agencies continued to establish the identities and status of those taken during the attack.

IED threat complicates rescue

The suspected presence of explosives around the hideout has become one of the biggest challenges facing the rescue teams.

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Bosso said the drones had helped security personnel establish the location of the camp. However, intelligence about possible IEDs meant operatives had to approach the area cautiously.

The security agencies are therefore considering the safest way to reach the victims without putting the hostages or rescuers at unnecessary risk.

The police have indicated that specialised operational equipment would be used as part of the effort to gain access to the area.

Families demand safe release of victims

The prolonged captivity has heightened concern among relatives of the abducted graduates.

Families of victims from Oyo State have appealed for urgent action to secure their loved ones’ release.

Some relatives also met with the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Rashidi Ladoja, seeking his intervention and assistance in efforts to bring the abducted graduates home safely.

The monarch assured the families that authorities were working to address the situation.

Police promise continued search

The police have continued to maintain that the operation will not stop until efforts to locate and rescue the remaining victims are completed.

With the suspected camp now located, security agencies face the challenge of reaching the area safely because of the reported explosive threat.

For the families, however, the immediate priority remains the safe return of their loved ones.

The latest development provides a significant breakthrough in the search because security operatives now have a reported location for the suspected hideout. Nevertheless, the reported presence of IEDs means the rescue operation remains delicate.

Security agencies are expected to continue coordinating their efforts as they work towards freeing the remaining abducted NYSC members and other passengers.