NYSC Bus Driver Identifies Kidnappers in Imo State

The driver of a bus carrying 20 prospective members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), who were kidnapped in Imo State on Independence Day, identified five suspects arrested by the Department of State Services (DSS) as the attackers. During the trial at the Imo State High Court, the bus driver testified that he recognized the first defendant as the individual who approached the bus with an AK-47 rifle and later forced the corps members into a nearby bush.

Another witness, Mr Light Timothy, corroborated this by stating he saw two of the suspects with AK-47 rifles shortly after the abduction along the Owerri–Mgbidi–Onitsha Expressway. Both witnesses confirmed their identifications during an identification parade at the DSS state office.

The trial judge, Justice Emeka Orafu, admitted their testimonies and the driver's identity card into evidence. The trial has been adjourned to November 3, 4, 5, and 6, 2026, for continued hearings.