Several passengers, including prospective NYSC members, have reportedly been abducted after gunmen attacked buses travelling through Imo State on Thursday, October 1, 2026.
Reports of the incident emerged as prospective members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) travelled to orientation camps for the 2026 Batch ‘C’ Stream One exercise.
WATCH: Video shows a family member speaking about the reported abduction of prospective NYSC members travelling through Imo State.
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The circumstances surrounding the reported abduction are still developing, and authorities have yet to officially confirm the full number of victims.
According to a report by TheCable, gunmen attacked two 18-seater buses on the Owerri–Onitsha Expressway in the early hours of Thursday. The passengers were reportedly robbed before being taken into a nearby bush. One of the buses was identified as belonging to Uko Akwa Ibom Motors.
A separate report by Newspeakonline said about 18 prospective corps members from Oyo State were allegedly among those travelling towards an orientation camp in Abia State when they were intercepted in Imo State.
A family source quoted by the publication said the affected travellers left Samonda in Ibadan on Wednesday evening and stopped overnight in Imo before continuing their journey on Thursday morning. The source said the incident occurred at about 6:30 a.m.
The case of one prospective corps member, identified by her family as Kehinde, has also attracted attention. According to TheCable, her mother said her daughter sent a message to the family’s WhatsApp group indicating that there were kidnappers before communication with her was lost. Her twin sister, who was travelling to another camp, reportedly arrived safely.
However, the exact number of people abducted and the identities of the victims have not been officially confirmed by the NYSC or the Imo State Police Command at the time of reporting. TheCable said the Imo police spokesperson had not responded to requests for comment, while another report described the wider NYSC abduction claims as unconfirmed.
The incident comes as the NYSC’s 2026 Batch ‘C’ Stream One orientation course gets underway. The exercise began on September 30 and is scheduled to run until October 20 across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory. The NYSC had advised prospective corps members to travel safely, avoid night journeys and use designated motor parks.
Families of prospective corps members travelling through the affected routes are advised to rely on information from the NYSC, police and other recognised security agencies while efforts to establish the full circumstances of the incident continue.
PenTalk News will update this report as official information becomes available.
