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Several members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) were abducted on Wednesday along the Aloma-Egane Expressway in Ofu LGA of Kogi state.
The corps members were returning from the NYSC orientation camp in Kolokuma/Opokuma LGA of Bayelsa state when the incident happened.
In a statement made available to TheCable on Friday, Saliu Afusat, spokesperson of the Kogi police command, said a rescue operation was undertaken immediately after the kidnapping.
Afusat said the operation resulted in “the successful rescue of 11 abducted victims, including the drivers of the two buses”.
The Kogi police spokesperson said “most” of the rescued victims were identified as NYSC members.
TheCable cannot immediately ascertain the number of corps members seized by the assailants.
“At about 1640hrs, armed hoodlums emerged from the bush around Ogene Zaria, near the Ogene Zaria/Onicha-Igo Junction, blocked two buses travelling in opposite directions and abducted some passengers, while others escaped into the surrounding bush,” the police statement reads in part.
“Upon receipt of the distress call, the Divisional Police Officer, Ofu, led a joint security team to the scene, where two abandoned vehicles—a Peace Mass Transit white Hummer bus and a yellow 18-seater bus—were recovered.
“A coordinated bush-combing and rescue operation was immediately launched. The operation resulted in the successful rescue of 11 abducted victims, including the drivers of the two buses. Preliminary debriefing indicates that most of the rescued victims are NYSC members travelling from Bayelsa State to Abuja.
“The rescued victims have been debriefed and, after necessary procedures, were allowed to continue their journey.”
The Kogi police command said “every available operational and intelligence resource is being deployed” to rescue the remaining victims.
FAMILY MEMBERS REACT
The incident has sparked reactions on X, with several people claiming their relatives were among the victims of the abduction and insisting they were yet to regain their freedom.
In a viral video, a lady identified as Chidimma was seen in tears, calling on the government, the NYSC and Nigerians to intervene and help secure the release of her sister.
“My sister went to Bayelsa for NYSC three-week camp. After which she was posted to Niger State. She had planned to sleep over in Abuja and on the next day, Thursday, proceed to Niger State for her PPA,” the lady said.
“On her way coming to Abuja, kidnappers attacked them. The driver was killed. My sister and the rest of the corps members were taken to the bush. Up till now, we have not heard anything.
“The police have not given us any positive feedback. I’m begging Nigerians and the government to do something. Please, nothing should happen to my sister. We just lost our mum not quite long ago.”
In another post, a man identified as Chisom Ede also claimed his sister was among the abductees.
“Hello everyone, please, I urgently need your help and attention. My sister and other NYSC corps members who left Bayelsa State yesterday were attacked along the Kogi Express Road. Sadly, the driver was killed, and the corps members were reportedly taken into the forest,” he wrote.
“Up until now, we have not heard from them, and the family is deeply worried and devastated. We have contacted the police, but unfortunately, we have not received any positive feedback yet.
“Please, I am appealing to the NYSC, the Federal Government, security agencies, and everyone who can help to urgently intervene and do everything possible to rescue them safely.”
Another X user, identified as @ddevilsworkshop, also claimed his sister was among the victims.
He shared a list purportedly containing the names of passengers who boarded the Peace Mass Transit vehicle, saying the abductors had demanded N20 million in ransom.
