By Joy Yesufu
The Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, has deployed the Deputy Inspector-General of Police in charge of Operations, Shehu Umar Nadada, to Imo State to coordinate efforts to rescue 20 persons abducted along the Owerri-Onitsha Expressway.
The victims, who include prospective members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), were abducted alongside other passengers on Thursday, October 1, 2026.
The Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Aniete Etuk, disclosed this in a statement issued on Saturday in Abuja.
According to the statement, Nadada arrived in Imo State with two Commissioners of Police and conducted an on-the-spot assessment of the situation and ongoing search-and-rescue efforts.
The DIG also reviewed operational strategies, the deployment of personnel and operational assets, while issuing further directives aimed at strengthening the coordinated response.
The assessment was conducted alongside the Imo State Commissioner of Police, Audu Bosso; the Commissioner of Police in charge of Federal Operations, Akpan Anifiok; the Commissioner of Police in charge of the Police Mobile Force; other service commanders; and members of the management team of the Imo State Police Command.
The police said the search-and-rescue operation had been intensified, with additional tactical teams and operational assets deployed to identified areas.
It added that intelligence-led tracking was also being used to locate the suspects and rescue the victims.
“The Police are working in close coordination with sister security agencies to ensure the safe rescue of the abducted persons and the apprehension of the perpetrators,” the statement said.
Nadada assured the public that the Nigeria Police Force remained committed to securing the safe rescue of the 20 abducted persons and would sustain the operation until the mission was successfully concluded.
He urged members of the public and the media to remain calm and vigilant, while appealing to anyone with credible information that could assist the operation to contact the police or the nearest security formation.
The police assured that information supplied would be treated with strict confidentiality, adding that further updates would be issued as the operation progresses.
