20 August 2026 · Orlu
Kidnapping in Imo
OpenWatch has recorded 196 reported kidnapping incidents in Imo State, 24 of them in the last 12 months. That is 26% of every incident recorded in the state, and ranks it 17 of 37 among the states where kidnapping is reported often enough to profile.
Incidents · 12 mo
24
Fatalities · 12 mo
13
Incidents · all-time
196
Fatalities · all-time
89
Latest reported kidnapping in Imo
17 August 2026
Two kidnappers killed, victims rescued in Imo forest raid
15 August 2026
Police kill 2 kidnappers, rescue victims in Imo forest
29 July 2026
Police tactical teams in Imo State rescued four kidnap victims who sustained bullet wounds during the operation. At least three locally-made firearms were recovered.
19 July 2026
Troops of 34 Artillery Brigade, operating under Operation Udo Ka in collaboration with other security agencies, conducted an intelligence-led operation that dismantled a kidnapping syndicate in Imo State, recovering ransom money and a vehicle.
17 July 2026 · Njaba
Troops of 34 Artillery Brigade under Operation Udo Ka raided a kidnap syndicate hideout in Obinwanne Umuaka, Njaba LGA, Imo State on 17 July 2026, rescuing one victim and arresting one suspect. Ransom proceeds totalling N298,200, a black Lexus saloon car used in the abduction, mobile phones, and identity documents were recovered during the operation.
17 July 2026
Troops of 34 Artillery Brigade under Operation UDO KA, alongside Nigeria Police and local vigilantes, foiled a kidnap attempt and rescued five victims in Imo State.
16 July 2026
The Nigeria Police Force rescued eight kidnap victims and arrested seven criminal suspects in coordinated operations across multiple states within a 24-hour period. In Imo State, operatives foiled a kidnapping attempt, rescued seven victims unharmed, and recovered stolen property.
8 July 2026
Police in Imo State arrested two alleged kidnap kingpins and seven other suspects, recovering ammunition in the operation. The arrests represent a significant security action targeting kidnapping networks in the state.
29 June 2026
Police conducted a forest operation in Imo State, rescuing a kidnap victim and dismantling criminal hideouts. The operation was aimed at strengthening internal security and denying criminals safe havens.
Other threats in Imo
About these figures
Counts cover incidents classified as kidnapping in Imo State, drawn from OpenWatch’s incident record, excluding retracted reports and duplicates merged into an earlier report. Figures update hourly. Last recorded: 20 August 2026.
Reported numbers are a floor, not a census. Incidents in remote areas are routinely under-reported, and classification follows how an event was described in reporting, so a low count is not a guarantee of safety. See the full Imo risk profile for every threat type, or the methodology for how incidents are collected and classified.
Track Imo live on the incident map.