The travellers were on their way from Ibadan, Oyo State, to their respective NYSC orientation camps in Abia and Akwa Ibom when their buses came under attack along the Owerri-Onitsha Road in the Umunoha area on Thursday.

The incident has triggered renewed concern among the victims’ families after the kidnappers reportedly began contacting relatives with ransom demands amounting to N950 million.

Isiah Akpan, Managing Director of Uko Akwa Ibom Motors Nigeria Limited, whose company operated the two buses, confirmed the abduction. He said the affected passengers were all prospective corps members travelling to their deployment states.

According to Akpan, the buses left Bodija/Samonda Park in Ibadan on Wednesday but encountered significant traffic delays around Benin City, Edo State. They later reached Onitsha, Anambra State, but stopped at Oba because the condition of the road made it difficult to continue at night.

The journey resumed around 5am on Thursday. However, shortly after the buses entered Imo State, armed men reportedly emerged from the bush, blocked the vehicles and forced the 19 passengers into the surrounding forest.

The drivers escaped during the attack and alerted security personnel at a nearby checkpoint. Police and military personnel subsequently began searching the area for the abducted travellers.

Akpan, however, said the recovery operation encountered an additional setback after some residents allegedly resisted efforts by security personnel to move the abandoned buses from the scene.

The reported kidnapping has once again drawn attention to the security risks faced by travellers using major highways in parts of the country, particularly amid continuing incidents involving armed attacks, abductions and ransom demands.

As security agencies continue their search, relatives of the 19 prospective corps members remain anxious and are awaiting confirmation of their safe rescue.