Members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) were abducted on Wednesday along the Aloma-Egane Expressway in Ofu Local Government Area of Kogi State
The corps members, who were travelling back from the NYSC orientation camp in Kolokuma/Opokuma Local Government Area of Bayelsa State when they were attacked.
A report from the spokesperson of the Kogi police command, Saliu Afusat, disclosed that a rescue operation was launched immediately after the kidnapping and that it led to the successful rescue of 11 abducted victims, including the drivers of the two buses.
She added that most of the rescued victims were identified as NYSC members.
The police statement explained how the attack unfolded, along with the response by security operatives.
“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. 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.
Families of the abducted corps members have taken to social media to seek the help of people with claims that the abductors had demanded N20 million in ransom.
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