The Department of State Services has arraigned five suspected members of a criminal gang allegedly responsible for the abduction of 20 prospective National Youth Service Corps members and one civilian in Imo State.
The incident occurred near Umunoha in Mbaitoli Local Government Area in Imo State on October 1, 2026.
According to Channels TV, on Tuesday, the suspects were brought before the Justice Oputa State High Court in Owerri, the state capital.
However, NTA News reports Tuesday via its Facebook page that the five arraigned suspects include Ibrahim Jiji, Aminu Haliru, Mohammed Ali, Usman Aliyu and Babangida Aliyu.
PUNCH Online reports that the suspects were apprehended during a series of intelligence-led operations conducted at different locations in Rivers and Abia states. However, in the course of the operation, three other suspects escaped with varying degrees of injury.
Security sources disclosed that the operations were carried out between October 10 and 14 in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, and Aba South Local Government Area of Abia State.
The victims were subsequently rescued on October 7, 2026, during a joint security operation at Amakohia Ubi Village.
The string of operations marks a significant breakthrough in efforts to track down the perpetrators, dismantle the criminal network allegedly responsible for the abduction and bring those involved to justice.
A security source described the development as a major relief, noting that security agencies had sustained a wide-ranging manhunt for the abductors.
“This is a huge sigh of relief. Security agencies have been on a manhunt for the abductors, and we are elated that they have been captured. We strongly believe they will be charged in court by DSS, and the corps members will get justice,” the source said.