Imo NYSC Members’ Kidnap: Bus Driver, Witness Identify Five Suspects Arrested by DSS

The bus driver who conveyed 20 prospective National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members kidnapped in Imo State during Independence Day has identified five suspects arrested by the Department of State Services (DSS) as the perpetrators. A prosecution witness, Mr Light Timothy, corroborated the driver's testimony by stating he saw two of the five suspects wielding AK-47 rifles after the abduction along the Owerri–Mgbidi–Onitsha Expressway.

Both witnesses testified at the resumed trial of the five suspected kidnappers at the Imo State High Court on Friday and maintained their assertions that they witnessed the defendants commit conspiracy, hostage-taking, and unlawful possession of arms. The bus driver identified the first defendant as the one who initially approached his bus with an AK-47 rifle and took the 20 prospective corps members hostage, leading them into a nearby bush.

The identification parade conducted at the DSS state office confirmed these accounts. The trial judge, Justice Emeka Orafu, admitted the testimonies of both witnesses and the driver's identity card into evidence. The trial has been adjourned until November 3-6, 2026 for further proceedings.