The Kogi State Police Command has confirmed the abduction of National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, members travelling from Bayelsa State to Abuja, saying 11 victims have been rescued.
The victims were abducted last Wednesday along the Aloma–Egane Expressway in Ofu Local Government Area of Kogi State when armed hoodlums reportedly emerged from the bush and blocked two buses travelling in opposite directions.
The command confirmed the development and the rescue operation on Friday, August 28.
The command’s spokesperson, ASP Salisu Oyiza Afusat, said the Divisional Police Officer, Ofu, led a joint security team to the scene after receiving a distress call.
She said the team recovered two abandoned vehicles, a white Peace Mass Transit Hummer bus and a yellow 18-seater bus, before launching a coordinated bush-combing and rescue operation.
“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,” Afusat said.
According to her, the operation resulted in the 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,” she said.
Afusat said the rescued victims had been debriefed and, after the necessary procedures, were allowed to continue their journey.
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She added that the joint security operation was still ongoing in the surrounding forest, with security personnel searching for any remaining victims and pursuing the perpetrators.
The police spokesperson said the operation was also aimed at arresting those responsible for the attack and bringing them to justice.
The command assured members of the public that it was deploying available operational and intelligence resources to secure the area and ensure the safe recovery of any remaining victims.
The police confirmation came after a woman who identified herself as the sister of one of the abducted corps members made an emotional appeal for government intervention in a viral TikTok video.
She said her sister had travelled to Bayelsa State for the mandatory three-week NYSC orientation programme and was returning to Abuja when the vehicle she was travelling in was attacked.
“My sister went to Bayelsa for camp, three weeks camp. And after she was posted… On her way coming back from Bayelsa to Abuja… kidnappers attacked them,” she said.
She appealed to the government, NYSC and Nigerians to help secure the release of the abducted victims.
“I am begging Nigerians… Nothing should happen to them. Nothing should happen to my sister,” she said.
The woman added that her family had recently lost their mother and appealed for help in securing her sister’s safe return.
“Please, everybody help us. Everybody help us. My family is going through a lot, please,” she said.