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.
