Zainab Abioye
Several members of the National Youth Service Corps have been abducted by gunmen along the Aloma-Egane Expressway in Ofu Local Government Area of Kogi State, with the police confirming the rescue of 11 victims.
The incident occurred on Wednesday when armed assailants reportedly emerged from the bush around Ogene Zaria, near the Ogene Zaria/Onicha-Igo Junction, and intercepted two buses travelling in opposite directions.
The victims were said to be corps members returning from the NYSC orientation camp in Bayelsa State and heading towards Abuja and their various places of primary assignment.
The Kogi State Police Command, however, said it could not immediately establish the exact number of people abducted, raising concerns that more corps members and other passengers could still be in captivity.
The command’s spokesperson, Saliu Afusat, disclosed in a statement on Friday that a joint security operation launched immediately after the attack led to the rescue of 11 victims, including the drivers of the two buses.
According to her, preliminary debriefing showed that “most” of those rescued were NYSC members travelling from Bayelsa State to Abuja.
Afusat said the police received a distress call shortly after the attack, prompting the Divisional Police Officer in Ofu to lead a joint team of security personnel to the scene.
She said two abandoned vehicles—a Peace Mass Transit white Hummer bus and a yellow 18-seater bus—were recovered at the scene.
The statement partly read, “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 police said the rescued victims had been debriefed and, after necessary procedures, were allowed to continue their journey.
The command added that “every available operational and intelligence resource” was being deployed to locate and rescue those still being held by the attackers.
The incident has triggered anxiety among families of corps members, with relatives taking to social media to appeal for urgent intervention by the Federal Government, the NYSC and security agencies.
A woman identified as Chidimma, in a video circulating on social media, appealed for help to secure the release of her sister, who she said was among the corps members abducted while travelling from Bayelsa.
She said her sister had completed the three-week orientation programme in Bayelsa and was posted to Niger State, adding that she planned to spend the night in Abuja before proceeding to her place of primary assignment.
According to her, the family had yet to establish contact with the corps member since the attack.
Another relative, Chisom Ede, also claimed that his sister was among the abducted corps members.
Ede appealed to the NYSC, Federal Government and security agencies to intensify efforts to secure the victims’ safe release.
Meanwhile, another social media user, identified as @ddevilsworkshop, claimed that his sister was among those travelling in the Peace Mass Transit vehicle.
He reportedly shared a list said to contain the names of passengers aboard the bus and alleged that the abductors had demanded N20m ransom.
The ransom claim and the identities of the remaining abductees could not be independently verified as of the time of filing this report.
'
'Do you want to share a story with us? Do you want to advertise with us? Do you need publicity for a product, service, or event? Contact us on WhatsApp +2348183319097 Email: platformtimes@gmail.com
We are committed to impactful investigative journalism for human interest and social justice. Your donation will help us tell more stories. Kindly donate any amount HERE
