By Barth Ikiebe
Twenty prospective National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members and another person abducted along the Owerri-Onitsha Road in Imo State have regained their freedom.
The victims, who were abducted by gunmen while travelling along the busy highway, were rescued on Wednesday, according to Channels Television.
They have since been taken to the Department of State Services (DSS) Hospital in Owerri, where they are currently receiving medical attention.
The circumstances surrounding their release, including whether any ransom was paid or security forces conducted a rescue operation, were not immediately clear as of the time of filing this report.
The Director-General of the NYSC, Brigadier General Olakunle Oluseye Nafiu, is currently at the DSS medical facility in Owerri, where he is addressing the rescued corps members.
Nafiu was accompanied to the hospital by the Imo State Commissioner of Police, the Director of the DSS in the state and the Commander of the 34 Artillery Brigade, Imo State.
The officials were said to have visited the victims to assess their condition and offer support following their ordeal.
The development comes days after the abduction of the prospective corps members generated widespread concern over the safety of young Nigerians travelling to report for national service.
The victims’ release is expected to provide relief to their families, relatives and friends who had been anxiously awaiting news of their whereabouts.
Security agencies in the state have yet to provide details on the identities of the abductors or the circumstances surrounding the operation that led to the victims’ freedom.
The Owerri-Onitsha Road has remained a major transportation corridor linking communities in Imo and neighbouring states, making security along the route a major concern for travellers.
Authorities are expected to provide further details on the rescue operation and the condition of the victims as investigations continue.
As of Wednesday evening, the rescued corps members remained at the DSS Hospital in Owerri for medical attention and further assessment.
