Five suspected members of a criminal gang accused of abducting 20 prospective National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members in Imo State have been arrested in a joint security operation led by the Department of State Services (DSS), in collaboration with the military, police, and other security operatives.

The suspects were apprehended in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, and Abia State during intelligence-led operations conducted between October 10 and 14.

Three other suspects reportedly escaped with gunshot wounds, prompting security agencies to launch a manhunt for the fleeing gang members.

The arrests followed the abduction of 20 prospective corps members along the Owerri-Onitsha Expressway in Imo State on October 1, 2026, while they were travelling from Ibadan, Oyo State, to their assigned NYSC orientation camps in Abia and Akwa Ibom states.

The gunmen attacked two buses conveying the prospective corps members and other passengers near Umunoha in the Mbaitoli Local Government Area of Imo State.

The victims were rescued on October 7 during a joint security operation at Amakohia-Ubi Village in the Owerri West Local Government Area of the state. They were subsequently taken to the DSS hospital in Owerri for medical attention and necessary checks.

During the search-and-rescue operation, the police said their operatives had located the kidnappers’ camp through drone surveillance but could not immediately advance because the location was reportedly planted with improvised explosive devices (IEDs).

Security agencies later intensified efforts to reach the victims and secure their release.

The latest arrests mark a significant development in efforts to track down those allegedly responsible for the abduction and dismantle the criminal network.

A security source described the arrests as a major relief, saying security agencies had sustained a manhunt for the suspects.