The Department of State Services, DSS, has arraigned five suspects allegedly linked to the abduction of 20 prospective National Youth Service Corps members and a civilian in Imo State.
The suspects were brought before the Justice Oputa State High Court in Owerri following their arrest during intelligence-led operations in Rivers and Abia states.
The victims were abducted by gunmen near Umunoha in Mbaitoli Local Government Area on October 1 while travelling from Ibadan to their assigned NYSC orientation camps in Abia and Akwa Ibom states.
The 20 prospective corps members and the civilian were rescued on October 7 from the Amakohia-Ubi forest in Owerri West Local Government Area and subsequently received medical attention.
The DSS later arrested the five suspects during operations conducted between October 10 and 14 in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, and Aba, Abia State.
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The operations involved a joint security team led by the DSS, working with the military, police and other security agencies.
Three other suspects reportedly escaped with gunshot wounds, while security agencies have launched a manhunt for them and other fleeing members of the suspected kidnapping syndicate.
The arraignment begins the prosecution of the five suspects as investigations into the abduction continue.
