By Sophia Afolabi
The Imo State Police Command has launched a coordinated search and rescue operation following the abduction of a 17-year-old student of the Federal University of Technology, Owerri (FUTO), Mary Ezinwayi Uzoma, along the FUTO/Ihiagwa Road in Owerri West Local Government Area.
The command said its operatives, in collaboration with local vigilantes, were swiftly deployed to the scene after receiving the report, with adjoining bushes and surrounding areas immediately combed in an intensive search for the victim.
The Commissioner of Police in the state, Audu Bosso, has directed the Anti-Kidnapping Unit in Owerri to take over the case and intensify intelligence-driven operations in collaboration with other security agencies to ensure the safe rescue of the student and arrest of those responsible.
Bosso also ordered the reinforcement of security presence across the FUTO axis and neighbouring communities, with sustained patrols, surveillance, and increased visibility policing already in place to forestall further incidents.
He assured students, university authorities, and residents of the command’s commitment to their safety, urging them to remain calm, vigilant, and go about their lawful activities without fear.
The police also appealed to members of the public with useful information to report to the nearest station or contact the command through its emergency line, as efforts to track down the abductors continue.
