The Department of State Services (DSS) has arraigned five suspects before an Imo State High Court over the alleged abduction of 20 prospective National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members and four other persons in Imo State.
The suspects were brought before the court on charges bordering on conspiracy, hostage-taking and unlawful possession of firearms in two separate cases.
Three of the defendants, Usman Aliyu, Babangida Aliyu and Mohammed Ali, were accused of abducting 20 prospective corps members along the Owerri-Onitsha Expressway on October 1, 2026.
The prosecution also accused the trio of demanding and collecting ₦48 million and an undisclosed amount in foreign currency as ransom, alongside allegations of illegal possession of firearms.
The other two defendants, Aminu Haliru and Jiji Ibrahim, were charged over the alleged abduction of four persons, including Winner Ogidi, Opara Timothy and Ogechi Henrietta, on October 4.
They were also accused of conspiracy, hostage-taking and unlawful possession of firearms.
All five suspects pleaded not guilty to the charges brought against them.
The prosecution counsel, Ekezie Nwauzo, applied for the defendants to remain in DSS custody, and the court granted the request.
Justice Emeka Orafu adjourned the cases to October 22 and October 27, 28 and 29 for further proceedings.
The 20 prospective corps members were reportedly abducted on October 1 while travelling from Ibadan, Oyo State, to their NYSC orientation camps in Abia and Akwa Ibom states.
They were rescued on October 7 from the Amakohia-Ubi forest in Imo State following a joint operation involving security agencies and were subsequently reunited with their families.
The five suspects were later arrested during intelligence-led operations in Rivers and Abia states.
