The suspects were arrested during intelligence-led operations conducted in Rivers and Abia states between October 10 and 14, following the kidnapping incident.
The victims were abducted in the early hours of October 1 when gunmen reportedly attacked two 18-seater buses conveying passengers from Ibadan, Oyo State, to NYSC orientation camps in Abia and Akwa Ibom states.
The attack occurred at about 6:30 a.m. near Umunoha in Mbaitoli Local Government Area of Imo State.
Following the incident, the Imo State Police Public Relations Officer, Henry Okoye, disclosed that 10 victims had been rescued shortly after the attack, while security operatives commenced search-and-rescue operations to locate the remaining abductees.
The kidnappers subsequently contacted the victims’ families and demanded ransom. The initial demand was reportedly N1 billion before it was reduced to N5 million per victim, bringing the reported demand for the 20 prospective corps members to N100 million.
On October 7, a joint security team comprising DSS personnel, military operatives and police officers rescued the abductees from the Amakohia-Ubi forest in Imo State after sustained search operations.
The rescued victims were subsequently taken for medical attention.
However, the circumstances surrounding the rescue generated controversy after Alirat Wahab, the mother of one of the rescued prospective corps members, told News Central Television that her family had paid N6 million to secure her son’s release.
Her account differed from the position of security agencies regarding the rescue operation.
Wahab and her husband, Obasanjo, later stated that the money their family had contributed towards the ransom was returned.
Despite the successful rescue, security agencies continued investigations aimed at identifying and apprehending those allegedly responsible for the abduction.
The subsequent operations led to the arrest of five suspects in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, and Aba, Abia State, between October 10 and 14.
The arrests were carried out by the DSS in collaboration with the military, police and other security personnel as part of efforts to dismantle the suspected kidnapping network.
Three other suspects reportedly escaped during the operations, sustaining varying degrees of gunshot wounds.
Security operatives have since launched a manhunt to apprehend the fleeing suspects and other members of the alleged criminal gang.
The arraignment marks a further step in the investigation into the abduction, which raised concerns about the safety of prospective corps members travelling to orientation camps across the country.
The suspects are expected to face the legal process as proceedings continue before the Imo State High Court. Further details regarding the specific charges and the next hearing were not provided in the available report.
