Police rescue 10 after NYSC bus attack in Imo as number abducted remains unconfirmed

• Police have rescued 10 people after gunmen attacked two buses carrying NYSC corps members in Imo State.

• The buses were travelling from Ibadan to NYSC orientation camps in Akwa Ibom and Abia when they were attacked near Umunoha.

• Police say the widely reported figure of 20 abducted has not been confirmed, and the search for anyone still missing is ongoing.

Ten people have been rescued after gunmen attacked two buses carrying NYSC corps members along the Owerri-Onitsha Road in Imo State on Thursday, but police say the total number of people abducted has not yet been confirmed, despite widespread reports putting the figure at 20.

The attack happened around 6:30am near Umunoha, in Mbaitoli Local Government Area, as the buses travelled from Ibadan carrying corps members headed to orientation camps in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, and Bende, Abia State.

Imo Police spokesperson Henry Okoye confirmed that tactical teams launched an immediate search-and-rescue operation, recovering both buses and freeing 10 victims at the scene. He said the rescued passengers were safe and receiving care. On the widely reported figure of 20 abducted, Okoye was explicit that this number has not been verified by the command and will only be made public once confirmed.

That distinction matters, since several reports on the attack have circulated alongside details from an unrelated, earlier abduction in Kogi State, where 21 corps members and other passengers were freed from a forest hideout in late August, a case President Bola Tinubu personally confirmed at the time. The two incidents are separate, in different states, weeks apart.

Commissioner of Police Audu Bosso visited the scene in Imo alongside other senior officers to oversee the operation, and said efforts would continue until every victim was recovered and those responsible were arrested.

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The affected stretch of the Owerri-Onitsha Expressway has since reopened to traffic, with security personnel stationed in the area. Police say they are working with the NYSC directorate to keep affected families updated, and have asked the public to share any credible information that could assist the search.

As of the time of writing, the exact number of people still missing from Thursday's attack remains unclear, and police have not issued a further update since confirming the 10 rescues.