By Palang Paul
The Kogi State Police Command has confirmed the abduction of National Youth Service Corps members travelling from Bayelsa to Abuja, saying 11 victims have been rescued.
The incident occurred on Wednesday along the Aloma–Egane Expressway in Ofu Local Government Area of Kogi State, when armed hoodlums reportedly blocked two buses.
The command disclosed the development on Friday in response to an enquiry by journalists, as security agencies continued efforts to locate other victims believed to remain in captivity.
Police 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 Hummer bus belonging to Peace Mass Transit and a yellow 18-seater bus—before launching a coordinated bush-combing and rescue operation.
According to Afusat, the attackers emerged from the bush around Ogene Zaria, near the Ogene Zaria/Onicha-Igo Junction, at about 4:40 p.m., blocking two buses travelling in opposite directions.
She said the hoodlums abducted some passengers, while others managed to escape into the surrounding bush.
The ensuing security operation led to the rescue of 11 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,” Afusat said.
The police spokesperson added that the rescued victims were debriefed and subsequently allowed to continue their journey after necessary procedures were completed.
She said the joint operation remained ongoing in the surrounding forest, with security personnel focused on rescuing any remaining victims and arresting those responsible for the attack.
The command assured residents and other members of the public that available operational and intelligence resources were being deployed to secure the area and facilitate the safe recovery of the remaining victims.
The police confirmation followed a viral video in which a woman who identified herself as the sister of one of the abducted corps members appealed to the government, NYSC and Nigerians for intervention.
The woman 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.
She also disclosed that her family had recently lost their mother, appealing for urgent assistance to ensure her sister and other abducted passengers return safely.
Post Comment