The Department of State Services (DSS) has arraigned five men suspected of belonging to a criminal gang accused of abducting 20 prospective National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members and one civilian in Imo State.
The abduction took place near Umunoha in Mbaitoli Local Government Area on October 1, 2026.
Channels TV reports that the suspects appeared before the Justice Oputa State High Court in Owerri, the state capital, on Tuesday.
NTA News identified the accused men as Ibrahim Jiji, Aminu Haliru, Mohammed Ali, Usman Aliyu and Babangida Aliyu.
According to PUNCH Online, security operatives arrested the suspects during intelligence-led operations in parts of Rivers and Abia states. Three other suspects reportedly escaped during the operations with varying degrees of injury.
Security sources said the operations took place between October 10 and 14 in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, and Aba South Local Government Area of Abia State.
The abducted victims were rescued on October 7, 2026, during a joint security operation at Amakohia Ubi Village.
The arrests mark a major step in efforts to track down those behind the abduction, break up the suspected criminal network and bring the suspects to justice.
A security source welcomed the arrests, saying agencies had maintained a wide-ranging search 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.
