Nigeria’s Department of State Services (DSS) has arraigned five suspects over the kidnapping of 20 prospective National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members and a civilian in Imo State.
The suspects were brought before the Justice Oputa State High Court in Owerri following their arrest during intelligence-led operations in Rivers and Abia states.
The victims were abducted by gunmen on 1 October while travelling from Ibadan, Oyo State, to their assigned NYSC orientation camps in Abia and Akwa Ibom states.
The incident occurred near Umunoha in Mbaitoli Local Government Area of Imo State.
The 21 victims were rescued on 7 October from a forest in Amakohia-Ubi, Owerri West Local Government Area, following a security operation involving the DSS, military, police and other security agencies.
They were subsequently taken to a DSS hospital in Owerri for medical attention.
Following the rescue, security operatives arrested five suspected members of the kidnapping gang during coordinated operations between 10 and 14 October in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, and Aba, Abia State.
Three other suspects reportedly escaped during the operations with gunshot wounds.
Security agencies are continuing efforts to locate the fleeing suspects and other alleged members of the gang.
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