Police Give Update After Locating Kidnapped NYSC Members' Camp
- Imo State Police Commissioner Audu Garba Bosso confirmed that drones tracked the kidnappers to a specific location in the bush
- Security forces said the rescue operation faced a major obstacle that was preventing them from moving in to free the victims
- The Defence Headquarters said 20 passengers were abducted from two buses on the Owerri-Onitsha Expressway on October 1
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Legit.ng journalist Adekunle Dada has over eight years of experience covering metro, government policy, and international issues
Imo State - Security operatives in Imo State have pinpointed the location where suspected kidnappers are holding abducted NYSC members and other victims, but a field of improvised explosive devices surrounding the camp has stalled the rescue mission.
The Commissioner of Police, Audu Garba Bosso, said drones were used to track the abductors deep into the bush and confirmed that coordinates showing the exact position of the camp had been obtained.
Source: Twitter
As reported by Vanguard, Bosso stated this while speaking to journalists about the ongoing operation.
"Yesterday we were in the bush; we trailed them up to a particular location. But at that point in time, we couldn't move in to where the coordinates showed us where they are," Bosso said.
He described the IEDs as the primary obstacle preventing security forces from advancing to free the captives.
"Our predicament is that with the intel we have, the camp is mined with IEDs," the Commissioner said.
Heavy equipment to be deployed
To overcome the challenge, Bosso said security forces were preparing to move in with specialised machinery.
"We are moving in there with high-velocity vehicles. We are moving with bulldozers and APCs to see how we are going to rescue these victims," he said.
The victims were among passengers taken captive after gunmen attacked two buses on the Owerri-Onitsha Expressway on October 1.
The buses were travelling through the Umunoha axis in Mbaitoli Local Government Area, reportedly carrying prospective corps members heading to orientation camps in the South East and South South from Ibadan.
Joint operation underway
The Defence Headquarters had earlier confirmed that 20 passengers were abducted from the two buses, including several prospective corps members. Ten passengers, among them eight identified prospective corps members, were rescued at the scene shortly after the attack.
A joint search and rescue operation involving troops of Operation Udoka, the Nigeria Police Force and the Department of State Services, with air support from the Nigerian Air Force, remains active as efforts to safely reach the remaining victims continue.
Source: Original
Last moment of NYSC-bound lady
Meanwhile, Legit.ng also reported that a mother appealed for help after her twin daughter, Kehinde, sent a distress message to the family WhatsApp group before her phone went unreachable.
Gunmen attacked two commercial buses on the Owerri-Onitsha Expressway in Mbaitoli LGA, Imo State, on Thursday, October 1
Several corps members travelling from Ibadan to orientation camps in the South-East and South-South were among those reportedly abducted.
Source: Legit.ng
