Police in Nigeria say they have traced the location where kidnapped National Youth Service Corps members are being held in Imo State, but that the site has been rigged with improvised explosive devices, according to Channels Television.
The explosive threat has stalled the rescue operation, Punch Newspapers reports. Police have explained they cannot launch an assault on the hideout despite knowing where the captives are, Premium Times Nigeria reports.
The corps members were abducted in Imo State. Reporting on the case also points to Oyo State, where the families of the abducted corps members have appealed to the Olubadan, Vanguard News reports.
According to Sahara Reporters, the kidnappers have given the parents in Oyo a 24-hour deadline to produce a ransom of about N1 billion. Vanguard reports the parents say they are unable to raise that sum and have asked the Olubadan for help.
The accounts do not specify how many corps members were taken or the exact date of the abduction. Channels Television published its update on the case on Sunday, 4 October 2026.
The standoff leaves the families facing a ransom demand they say they cannot meet while security forces say they are unable to move on a location they have already identified.
What to watch next: whether police clear the explosives and attempt a rescue, and whether the ransom deadline passes without an operation.
