The Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (rtd) has commended security agencies for the successful rescue of 20 prospective members of the National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, abducted in Imo State.
The corps members were kidnapped on October 1st along the Onitsha-Owerri Road at Umunoha in Mbaitoli Local Government Area of Imo State while travelling from Ibadan, Oyo State to their orientation camps in Abia and Akwa Ibom States.
They were rescued on Wednesday, October 7, from Amakohia-Ubi forest in Owerri West LGA following a coordinated joint operation involving the Nigeria Police Force, the Department of State Services, DSS, and the Nigerian Army, deploying drone surveillance and armoured assets after the kidnappers’ hideout was found to have been rigged with Improvised Explosive Devices, IEDs.
Marwa, in a statement, lauded the inter-agency collaboration, patriotism and professionalism displayed by the operatives, noting that the discreet manner in which the operation was handled ensured all victims were rescued unharmed.
He said the safe rescue of the corps members underscores the commitment of the Federal Government and security agencies to the protection of lives and property, and urged Nigerians to continue to support security forces in the fight against insecurity.
The rescued corps members are currently receiving medical attention at the DSS Hospital in Owerri, while efforts are ongoing to apprehend the perpetrators.
Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma, had earlier also praised the security agencies for their swift intervention and thanked the Oyo and Imo State Governments and parents of the victims for their patience during the trying period.
The abductors had initially demanded N50 million per victim, amounting to N1 billion, before reducing the ransom to N5 million each.
