By Our Reporter
Eleven out of the fifteen members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) abducted by gunmen in Kogi State, while travelling home after completing their orientation programme in Bayelsa State, have been rescued.
This was confirmed in a statement on Friday by the Spokesperson of the Kogi State Police Command, Afusat Saliu.
The Police Spokesperson said the rescue operation was undertaken immediately after the kidnapping, stressing that the operation resulted in “the successful rescue of 11 abducted victims, including the drivers of the two buses.”
The spokesperson said “most” of the rescued victims were identified as NYSC members.
According to the statement, “At about 16: 40hrs, armed hoodlums emerged from the bush around Ogene Zaria, near the Ogene Zaria/Onicha-Ugbo Junction, blocked two buses travelling in opposite directions and abducted some passengers, while others escaped into the surrounding bush.
“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 State Police Command assured that said “every available operational and intelligence resource is being deployed” to rescue the remaining victims.
It will be recalled that no fewer that fifteen members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) were abducted by gunmen in Kogi State while travelling home after completing their orientation programme in Bayelsa State.
The victims, who belonged to the 2026 Batch B Stream II, were reportedly travelling towards Abuja on Wednesday after the conclusion of camp activities at the NYSC Permanent Orientation Camp in Kolokuma/Opokuma Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, when they were kidnapped.
The abduction occurred along the Ofu/Itobe–Onicha-Igo road in Ofu Local Government Area of Kogi State, a route frequently used by travellers moving between the South-South and the Federal Capital Territory.
Reports indicated that the corps members were travelling in a Peace Mass Transit bus and another commercial vehicle when armed men intercepted the vehicles and forcefully took away several passengers.
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