BREAKING: DSS, Military, Police Arrest Five Suspects Over Abduction Of 20 Corps Members

Operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS), the military and the police have arrested five suspected members of a criminal gang allegedly linked to the abduction of 20 prospective National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members in Imo State.

The arrests followed a series of intelligence-driven operations conducted between October 10 and 14, 2026, at different locations in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, and Aba South Local Government Area of Abia State.

Security sources disclosed that three other suspects reportedly escaped during the operations with varying degrees of gunshot injuries, prompting security agencies to intensify efforts to track them down.

The development represents a significant step in the investigation into the abduction of the prospective corps members, who were reportedly seized by armed men along the Owerri–Onitsha Expressway on October 1, 2026.

The victims were travelling to their designated NYSC orientation camps in Abia and Akwa Ibom states when the incident occurred.

The 20 corps members were subsequently rescued on October 7 during a joint security operation at Amakohia Ubi Village in Imo State.

According to security sources, the latest arrests followed sustained intelligence gathering and coordinated efforts by security agencies to identify and apprehend those allegedly responsible for the abduction.

A source familiar with the operation described the arrests as a major breakthrough, noting that security operatives had maintained an extensive manhunt for the suspected kidnappers following the incident.

The source expressed optimism that the arrested suspects would face prosecution and that justice would be served in the case.

Meanwhile, efforts are reportedly ongoing to apprehend the remaining suspects who escaped during the operations and dismantle the criminal network allegedly connected to the abduction.

The arrests underscore ongoing security efforts to combat kidnapping and other violent crimes across the country. However, the allegations against the suspects remain subject to investigation and judicial determination.