The Department of State Services (DSS) has arraigned five suspected members of a criminal gang allegedly involved in the abduction of 20 prospective National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members and another passenger in Imo State.
The suspects were brought before the Justice Chukwudifu Oputa High Court in Owerri, the state capital, on Tuesday, October 20, 2026, according to reports by Channels Television and NTA News.
The defendants were identified as Ibrahim Jiji, Aminu Haliru, Mohammed Ali, Usman Aliyu and Babangida Aliyu.
They were accused of involvement in the abduction of the prospective corps members near Umunoha in Mbaitoli Local Government Area of Imo State on October 1, 2026.
The victims were travelling from Ibadan, Oyo State, to their designated NYSC orientation camps in Abia and Akwa Ibom states when armed men reportedly attacked two buses conveying them along the Owerri-Onitsha Expressway.
The arraignment followed intelligence-led security operations conducted between October 10 and 14 in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, and Aba South Local Government Area of Abia State, during which the five suspects were arrested.
Three other suspected members of the gang reportedly escaped during the operations with varying degrees of gunshot injuries, prompting security agencies to intensify efforts to track them down.
A security source described the arrests as a major breakthrough in the investigation, saying the agencies had maintained pressure on the suspected abductors since the incident.
“This is a huge sigh of relief. Security agencies have been on a manhunt for the abductors, and we are elated that they have been captured. We strongly believe they will be charged in court by DSS, and the corps members will get justice,” the source said.
The 20 prospective corps members and the other passenger were rescued on October 7 during a joint security operation at Amakohia-Ubi Village in Owerri West Local Government Area of Imo State.
Following their rescue, the victims were taken to the DSS hospital in Owerri for medical attention and necessary health checks.
The rescue came after security agencies intensified efforts to locate the victims and their captors. During the search operation, the Imo State Commissioner of Police, Audu Bosso, said police operatives had used drone surveillance to locate the kidnappers’ hideout but faced difficulties advancing because the area was reportedly planted with improvised explosive devices.
The incident also generated controversy over the circumstances surrounding the victims’ release, with some family members reportedly claiming that ransom payments were made, while the police maintained that the victims were rescued through coordinated security operations.
According to earlier reports by TheCable and PUNCH, the abductors initially demanded a ransom of N1bn before reportedly reducing the demand to N5m per victim, amounting to N100m for the 20 prospective corps members.
The police had said efforts were ongoing to arrest those responsible for the abduction and bring them to justice.
The arraignment marks a new phase in the investigation, as security agencies continue efforts to apprehend the fleeing suspects and establish the extent of each defendant’s alleged involvement in the crime.
