Five suspected members of a criminal gang linked to the abduction of 20 prospective National Youth Service Corps members in Imo State have been arrested in intelligence-led operations across Rivers and Abia states.
The suspects were arrested by operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS), the military and the police between October 10 and 14.
Security sources said three other suspected gang members escaped during the operations with varying degrees of gunshot injuries, prompting a manhunt for them.
The 20 prospective corps members were abducted by armed men along the Owerri–Onitsha Expressway in Imo State on October 1, 2026, while travelling to their assigned orientation camps in Abia and Akwa Ibom states.
They were rescued on October 7 during a joint security operation at Amakohia Ubi village.
The latest arrests mark a significant breakthrough in efforts to track down the perpetrators, dismantle the criminal network and ensure those involved face justice.
