Gunmen have abducted 20 members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) along the Owerri-Onitsha Road near Umunoha community in Mbaitoli Local Government Area of Imo State.
The Imo State Police Public Relations Officer, Henry Okoye, confirmed the incident in a telephone conversation with Channels Television.
Okoye said the corps members were travelling in a commercial bus from Ibadan, Oyo State, to different orientation camps in the South-East and South-South when they were intercepted by the gunmen.
He said the Commissioner of Police, Audu Bosso, had visited the scene for an on-the-spot assessment, while security agencies were working to rescue the victims safely and unconditionally.
According to him, security operatives were combing surrounding bushes, while a Rapid Response Team had been deployed to track the kidnappers and secure the release of the corps members.
The incident comes weeks after security forces rescued 11 people, including NYSC members, who were abducted after gunmen attacked vehicles along the Aloma-Egane Expressway in Kogi State.
The victims were rescued on August 31 from Egume Forest in Ofu Local Government Area following a coordinated operation involving the police, military, Department of State Services and other security personnel.
The Defence Headquarters had said the rescued abductees comprised eight males and 13 females, while President Bola Tinubu commended the security forces for the operation.