Nigeria: Terrorists Hijack 2 Buses, Kidnap 19 'Prospective' Corps Members, Others in Imo

What the report says

A Vanguard report carried by AllAfrica says armed attackers hijacked two 18-seater buses and abducted passengers, including 19 prospective members of Nigeria’s National Youth Service Corps, along the Owerri-Onitsha expressway in Imo State. The incident was reported to have happened in the early hours near the Umunoha area of Mbaitoli, after the buses had traveled from Ibadan and were headed for destinations in Akwa Ibom and Abia states.

According to the report, the passengers were taken into nearby bushland before security personnel reached the scene. One family member, speaking in a social media post quoted by Vanguard, said her son and other travelers had been tracked during the journey and that a distress message was later received from the vehicle. She appealed to authorities and NYSC officials for help in securing the victims’ release.

The report suggests the travelers were among prospective corps members preparing for national service, which is a common movement period for young graduates in Nigeria. The case adds to continuing concern over abductions on major roads in the country, especially in parts of the southeast where kidnappings and other armed attacks have affected civilian movement. AllAfrica’s source material did not provide confirmation of the abductors’ identity, the exact number of escapees, or any rescue effort or demand.