The Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Rilwan Disu, has deployed the Deputy Inspector-General of Police in charge of Operations, Shehu Umar Nadada, to Imo State to coordinate the rescue of 20 prospective National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members and other passengers abducted along the Owerri-Onitsha Expressway.
The Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Aniete Etuk, disclosed this in a statement issued yesterday in Abuja Nadada arrived in Imo with two Commissioners of Police and immediately conducted an on-the-spot assessment of the situation and the ongoing search-and-rescue operation.
He also reviewed the operational strategies, deployment of personnel and available assets, while issuing further directives to strengthen the coordinated response.
The assessment was carried out alongside the Imo State Commissioner of Police, CP Audu Bosso; Commissioner of Police in charge of Federal Operations, CP Akpan Anifiok; the Commissioner of Police in charge of the Police Mobile Force; other service commanders and members of the Imo State Police Command management team.
The police said the search-and-rescue operation had been intensified, with additional tactical teams and operational assets deployed to identified areas.
The operation is also being supported by intelligence-led tracking aimed at locating the abductors and securing the safe release of the victims.
The police said they were working closely with other security agencies to rescue the abducted persons and apprehend those responsible for the attack.
Nadada assured Nigerians that the Nigeria Police Force remained committed to securing the safe rescue of the 20 abducted persons and would sustain the operation until its conclusion.
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 provided would be treated with strict confidentiality and said further updates would be released as the rescue operation progresses.
