Operatives of the Department of State Services, DSS, the military, and the police on Friday arrested five suspected members of a criminal gang allegedly responsible for the abduction of 20 National Youth Service Corps members in Imo State on Nigeria’s 66th Independence Day.
The suspects were taken into custody through a series of intelligence-driven operations carried out at various locations in Rivers and Abia states between October 10 and 14, 2026.
Reports indicate that three other suspects fled during the operations, sustaining gunshot wounds of varying severity.
According to security sources, the operations took place in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, and in the Aba South Local Government Area of Abia State.
A DSS source with knowledge of the situation confirmed the arrests to on Friday.
The source revealed that security operatives are stepping up efforts to apprehend the remaining members of the gang, especially those who escaped with gunshot injuries.
“Five among those responsible for the abduction of the graduates have been arrested in a joint operation carried out by operatives of the DSS, police, and the Army.
“Three of them escaped into the bush with gunshot injuries sustained during the encounter with security operatives, and efforts are ongoing to arrest them,” the source said.
The source went on to say that rounds of ammunition, AK-47 rifles, and an English pistol were found on the suspects.
However, the source did not say whether the ransom that was reportedly paid to secure the victims’ release had been recovered.
The 20 prospective corps members were kidnapped on October 1 along the Owerri-Onitsha Road, near Umunoha in the Mbaitoli Local Government Area of Imo State, as they travelled in two commercial buses belonging to Uko Akwa Ibom Motors.
Their destination was Abia and Akwa Ibom states. The abductors later demanded N50m for each graduate.
Last Wednesday, the police announced that the abducted graduates had been rescued at Amakohia Ubi Village in the Owerri West Local Government Area of Imo State.
The families, however, challenged the police’s claim of a rescue, maintaining that a ransom had been paid to secure their release.
