Gunmen have reportedly given the families of 20 prospective National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members a 24-hour ultimatum to pay ransom for their release.

The prospective corps members were abducted on their way to orientation camps in Abia State after gunmen attacked two buses travelling from Ibadan, Oyo State, to the South-East and South-South.

According to the affected parents, the kidnappers are demanding N50 million for each victim, amounting to N1 billion for the 20 abducted victims. The parents disclosed this during a visit to the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Rashidi Ladoja, at his Bodija residence on Saturday, October 3, 2026.

They appealed to the Olubadan and the Oyo State Commissioner of Police, Abimbola Ayodeji, to intervene.

How It Happened – Precise Post Details

Additional information from Precise Post.ng  reveals the full timeline:

The buses belong to Uko Akwa Ibom Motors Nigeria Limited and were carrying prospective corps members to orientation camps in Uyo, Akwa Ibom and Bende, Abia State.

The buses left Bodija/Samonda Park in Ibadan on Wednesday, September 30, but were delayed by heavy traffic around Benin, Edo State. They eventually arrived Onitsha, Anambra State, late that night and had to sleep over at Oba.

They resumed the journey at about 5 a.m. on Thursday, October 1 – Independence Day. Barely after entering Imo State, along the Owerri-Onitsha Road at Umunoha in Mbaitoli LGA, gunmen emerged from the bush, blocked both vehicles and dragged the passengers into the forest.

The company’s MD, Isiah Akpan, said 19 passengers – all corps members – were taken. While parents say 20, police records show 19 abducted. Two buses were recovered with passengers’ belongings scattered inside.

The drivers managed to escape and alerted security at a nearby checkpoint.

Parents Seek Urgent Intervention

The parents said the gunmen contacted them using the mobile phone lines of the abducted prospective corps members.

Alhaja Alimot Akande and Oyebola Michael Akande who spoke on behalf of the parents said: “They have been calling us since yesterday with a demand for N50 million ransom each. They are threatening that anything untoward will happen to our children if we fail to heed their request. There is no way we can raise such amount at this period. Baba, kindly assist us. Don’t let them kill our children.”

Ladoja and Police Assure Rescue

Olubadan Ladoja assured the parents: “I want to assure that your children would be rescued unharmed. We will relate whatever information we gather to you. The Police are working round the clock to secure their rescue.”

Oyo State Commissioner of Police, Olugbenga Abimbola, said he had contacted his counterpart in Imo State: “We have been talking since the day of the incident, and he assured me that the victims would be rescued unhurt.”

Imo Police Command confirmed the attack occurred at about 6:30 a.m. on October 1. Police said 10 victims have been rescued so far.

The Inspector-General of Police, IGP Olatunji Disu, has deployed DIG Shehu Umar Nadada to Imo to lead the search-and-rescue. Police also deployed drones that have located the kidnappers’ camp, but operation was stalled after IEDs were discovered around the camp.

More than 60 passengers have been rescued after a boat conveying over 70 mourners capsized at a crossing point on River Katsina-Ala in Buruku Local Government Area (LGA) of Benue state, leaving several others unaccounted for.

The wooden vessel, which was also carrying over 30 motorcycles, reportedly overturned at about 11am on Saturday while conveying the passengers back from a burial ceremony on the other side of the river. Blueprint reports

The mourners were said to be predominantly from Mbayon community in Gboko LGA and had travelled across the river to attend the burial of a relative.

The incident was confirmed by the Chairman of Buruku LGA, Raymond Zege, who said rescue operations were ongoing to locate those still missing.

Engine failure, heavy waves triggered panic
Zege said the boat developed an engine fault midway through the return journey, causing panic among passengers before it encountered a heavy wave and capsized.

He explained that the vessel was carrying more than 70 people when the incident occurred.

According to him, the situation deteriorated before a rescue boat could reach the passengers.

An eyewitness also attributed the mishap to overloading, saying the vessel was carrying a large number of passengers alongside more than 30 motorcycles.

The witness said several people had been rescued but the exact number of those still missing remained uncertain as search efforts continued.

Council chairman confirms over 60 rescued
Providing an update, Zege said more than 60 passengers had been rescued, while about six people had yet to be accounted for at the time of his statement.

He, however, stressed that the figure was not final, as rescue workers were still searching the river.

The council chairman urged residents and other commuters using the waterway to comply with maritime safety regulations, particularly the use of life jackets.

He said the local government had provided life jackets for commuters at the crossing point but lamented that some passengers often resisted efforts by maritime officials to enforce their use.

Zege explained that some commuters reportedly objected to wearing shared life jackets or claimed they had health concerns.

He appealed to waterway users to cooperate with safety personnel, noting that the regulations were designed to protect lives.

Commissioner directs boat operators to join rescue effort
Meanwhile, the Benue state Commissioner for Marine and Blue Economy, Denis Iyaghigba, confirmed the accident in a statement issued on Saturday.

Iyaghigba said he had received preliminary reports of the incident at the Buruku crossing point and appealed to families of the passengers and members of the public to remain calm pending verified information.

He assured the public that authorities would continue efforts to rescue anyone who might still be trapped or missing.

The commissioner also directed boat operators and their union to mobilise and support the ongoing search and rescue operation.

He said further details would be communicated as the operation progressed.

Search operation continues
As of the time of filing this report, rescue efforts were still ongoing, while authorities had yet to establish the final number of passengers aboard the boat and those still missing.

The incident has renewed attention on compliance with safety measures along the waterway, particularly the need to prevent overloading and ensure passengers use life jackets during crossings.

NYSC Members, Other Travellers Abducted Along Owerri-Onitsha Expressway on Independence Day

Fear has gripped families across the South West after an unspecified number of travellers, including National Youth Service Corps members, were reportedly abducted by gunmen along the Owerri-Onitsha Expressway in Imo State on Thursday, October 1.

The attack reportedly happened around 5:30am on Independence Day when at least two commercial buses were intercepted by armed men.

Eyewitnesses said passengers were robbed and led into the bush.

Independence Day Journey Turns to Horror

According to videos circulating online, some of the victims were corps members who boarded buses at Samonda Park in Ibadan, Oyo State.

They were travelling in buses belonging to Uko Akwa Ibom Motors to their orientation camps in Akwa Ibom, Enugu, Imo and Abia states.

One eyewitness who recorded the scene said:

Good morning, my fellow Nigerians. I am reporting from the Owerri-Onitsha Road. This happened this morning.

He said the buses were coming from Lagos heading towards Anambra before they were attacked. He confirmed that police had arrived at the scene and soldiers had entered the bush to rescue victims.

The police came this morning, and the army has already entered the bush to see if they can rescue the victims.

Two Buses Found Abandoned

Footage from the scene showed two buses abandoned on the highway, with one clearly marked Uko Akwa Ibom Motors Nig. Ltd with fleet number Uko/133.

Mother Raises Alarm After Daughter Sends Kidnapper Message

The incident has caused panic among parents. In a video shared by Agidigbo FM Ibadan, a distraught mother said her daughter was among those missing.

The woman said her daughter left Samonda on Wednesday with other corps members heading east. At about 6am on Thursday, she sent a single word – kidnapper – to their family WhatsApp group before her phone went off.

She identified her as Kehinde and said her twin sister Taiwo had already arrived safely in Enugu.

Since past 6am, I have not been able to hear from my child, and we couldn’t get her exact location anymore. Please, federal government, help us. I only have the two of them, the mother cried.

Other families have reportedly stormed the Samonda park in Ibadan seeking answers about their children.

Police Silent As Families Wait

As of the time of filing this report, the Imo State Police Command has not issued an official statement. The command’s spokesperson, Henry Okoye, is yet to respond to inquiries.

The exact number of abducted persons and their current location remains unknown.