The Department of State Services (DSS) has arraigned five suspects over the abduction of 20 prospective National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members and a civilian in Imo State.
The suspects were brought before the Justice Oputa State High Court in Owerri following their arrests during intelligence-led operations in Rivers and Abia states.
The victims were kdnapped by gunmen on October 1, 2026, near Umunoha in Mbaitoli Local Government Area while travelling from Ibadan, Oyo State, to their assigned NYSC orientation camps in Abia and Akwa Ibom states.
Their abduction triggered a security operation to rescue them and track down those responsible.
On October 7, the 20 prospective corps members and the civilian were successfully rescued from the Amakohia-Ubi forest in Owerri West Local Government Area. They were subsequently taken to the DSS hospital in Owerri for medical attention.
Following the rescue, operatives arrested five suspected members of the kidnapping syndicate during coordinated operations conducted between October 10 and 14 in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, and Aba, Abia State.
The operations were led by the DSS in collaboration with the military, police and other security agencies.
However, three other suspects reportedly escaped with gunshot wounds during the operations, prompting security operatives to intensify efforts to track them down alongside other fleeing members of the alleged criminal gang.
The arraignment marks another step in the investigation, with the prosecution of the five arrested suspects now underway.
