Inspector-General of Police Olatunji Disu has ordered a major police response to the abduction of 20 prospective corps members in Imo State, deploying senior commanders to take charge of search-and-rescue efforts on the ground. The deployment follows a highway ambush on October 1 along the Owerri-Onitsha Road at Umunoha in the Mbaitoli Local Government Area.
Senior Commanders Deployed to Imo State
Deputy Inspector-General of Police Shehu Nadada, who oversees Operations, arrived in Owerri alongside two Commissioners of Police to carry out a direct assessment of the situation and review how operational assets were positioned across known criminal hideouts. The assessment was conducted alongside Imo State Police Commissioner Audu Bosso, Federal Operations chief Akpan Anifiok, and other senior commanders.
The Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Anietie Iniedu, said Disu directed Nadada to immediately assume tactical command in Owerri following the ambush. In a statement released on Saturday, October 3, 2026, via the police X handle @PoliceNG, Iniedu confirmed the deployment.
Search-and-Rescue Operation Intensified
According to the police statement, the search-and-rescue operation has been further intensified with additional deployments of tactical teams and intelligence-led tracking of the suspects. Imo State Police Commissioner Audu Garba Bosso confirmed that drones tracked the kidnappers to a specific location in the bush, but a rescue operation was delayed due to an IED threat.
Nadada assured the public that the force would not relent until all 20 victims were safely recovered and those responsible brought to justice. The police also appealed to residents and media organisations to stay calm and avoid panic, while encouraging anyone with useful information to share it with security agencies under strict confidentiality.
Kidnappers Demand Ransom from Families
Earlier, parents of the 20 kidnapped prospective NYSC corps members said abductors contacted them, demanding N50 million per victim. The families visited the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Rashidi Ladoja, alongside the Oyo State Commissioner of Police to seek intervention.
The Nigeria Police Force has stated its full commitment to securing the safe rescue of the abducted persons and will sustain this operation until conclusion.
