Inspector-General Olatunji Disu has dispatched senior officers to Imo State to lead efforts to free 20 prospective National Youth Service Corps members and other passengers seized on the Owerri–Onitsha road on October 1.
Security forces in Sokoto State say they repelled an attack on Tsabre village in Isa LGA around 1am on October 2, recovering two rocket launchers and other weapons after the assailants fled.
6 sources
Ali Ndume commended President Bola Tinubu for fulfilling his pledge to raise Armed Forces salaries and said the president kept his word. Ndume also called on military personnel to justify the new pay increase, a statement reported this weekend.
3 sources
Published 3 Oct 2026
The Nigeria Police Force has sent senior commanders to Imo State to lead an intensified operation to recover people taken in an attack on the Owerri–Onitsha highway on October 1, 2026.
Inspector-General of Police Olatunji Rilwan Disu ordered the deployment of Deputy Inspector-General Shehu Nadada, who oversees operations at the force headquarters, to coordinate the search-and-rescue effort, several national outlets reported on October 3. Some reports said two commissioners of police were also dispatched to join the mission.
The abductees include 20 young people who were due to begin the National Youth Service Corps programme, together with additional passengers travelling the route at the time, according to the various accounts. The Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Anietie Iniedu, issued a statement confirming the IGP’s directive, Daily Trust and other outlets reported.
The decision to send a high-ranking operations chief and other top police officers reflects the force’s assessment of the attack’s gravity and the need for a coordinated, on-the-ground response. Media reports said the IGP ordered the deployment to ensure close supervision of search-and-rescue teams working in the Imo area.
Reports agree the abduction occurred on Thursday, October 1, along the Owerri–Onitsha road, a major corridor linking Imo State with neighbouring areas. While outlets consistently named the number of prospective corps members taken as 20, they attributed details about additional passengers and developments to police statements and ongoing enquiries.
According to the news reports, the deployed officers are expected to direct intelligence-led operations, coordinate with local commands and step up patrols and checkpoints in the corridor. The police public relations office provided the information through an official notice, but outlets did not publish any full text of the statement or include direct remarks from the IGP or the deployed officers.
The presence of senior force personnel aims to accelerate efforts to locate and recover the abducted people and to bring those responsible to justice. News reports did not provide an update on the condition or whereabouts of the abductees at the time of publication.
Attacks on road users and mass abductions heighten public concern about security on key highways, disrupt travel and affect national programmes that rely on safe movement of people. The deployment of top police commanders indicates the federal force treating the event as a priority, while families and communities await information about the missing individuals.
Further developments are expected as the search continues and as police release additional information.
This story was written from reports by these outlets. Read the originals:
The National Youth Service Corps says orientation for 2026 Batch C Stream II will start on Wednesday, November 4. The exercise will take place nationwide, and registration deadlines and closing dates were outlined by one report.
4 sources
Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq has announced October 5, 2026, as a day off for teachers in Kwara State to observe World Teachers’ Day, state media report.
3 sources
