The Coalition of South East Youth Leaders (COSEYL), the apex sociopolitical youth group in the South East geopolitical zone, has condemned the abduction of National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members and other passengers along the Owerri-Onitsha road near Umunoha in Mbaitoli Local Government Area of Imo State.
In a statement issued on Sunday by the President General of COSEYL, Comrade Goodluck Ibem, he said that the attack, which occurred at about 6:30 a.m. on Thursday, October 1, 2026, involved two buses conveying NYSC members and other passengers travelling from Ibadan to orientation camps in the South-East and South-South.
He stated that the Imo State Police Command has already confirmed the incident and subsequently announced the rescue of 10 victims, while noting that efforts were ongoing to determine the exact number of people still in captivity.
COSEYL described the attack as an unacceptable assault on the lives, dignity and freedom of innocent Nigerians, particularly young graduates who were travelling to fulfil a national obligation under the NYSC scheme.
According to him, it’s deeply disturbing that citizens can travel on a major federal highway in broad daylight and be intercepted by armed criminals.
He said: ‘This is not normal. This must not become normal’.
COSEYL therefore called for the immediate and safe rescue of all remaining victims, without conditions or further delay.
They urged the security agencies to deploy all available intelligence, surveillance, tracking and operational capabilities to locate those still in captivity and ensure their safe return.
While commending the security personnel involved in the operation that led to the recovery of 10 victims, Ibem urged them to sustain the effort until all those affected were accounted for and the perpetrators apprehended and brought to justice.
They also called on the Federal Government, Imo State Government, Nigeria Police Force, military, NYSC management and other relevant authorities to strengthen security measures for corps members travelling to orientation camps, describing their safety as an urgent national security priority.
He said the NYSC scheme was established to promote national integration, stressing that young Nigerians answering the call to national service must not become soft targets for kidnappers and criminal gangs.
COSEYL demanded the immediate release of all remaining abducted passengers and corps members and a full-scale investigation into the attack, particularly how the criminals were able to operate along the Owerri-Onitsha corridor despite the presence of security checkpoints.
body also called for the arrest and prosecution of the perpetrators and their collaborators, as well as a comprehensive review of the movement of prospective corps members to orientation camps, particularly along routes identified as security flashpoints.
It urged the authorities to maintain regular and transparent communication with the families of the victims, saying they should not be left to rely on rumours, social media reports or conflicting information while their loved ones remain missing.
COSEYL also called for stronger cooperation among communities, transport operators and security agencies in providing timely intelligence and reporting suspicious activities, noting that preventing such attacks required a collective effort.
‘Let it be clearly stated: the South-East cannot afford to surrender its highways to kidnappers, nor can Nigeria continue to treat the abduction of innocent citizens as routine news,’ he said.
‘Every abducted Nigerian is somebody’s child, parent, sibling or loved one. Every corps member travelling to serve Nigeria deserves protection. Every Nigerian has a right to move freely without living in fear of being kidnapped.’
COSEYL said it would continue to demand accountability and justice for the victims, urging the authorities to act with urgency.