Fidelia Soriwei, Abuja
The Kogi State Police Command has said it has rescued 11 National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members who were abducted in Kogi on Friday.
The police said the victims were rescued following a coordinated search operation after gunmen attacked two buses in Ofu Local Government Area.
The corp members were among passengers abducted on Wednesday, August 26, along the Aloma-Egane Expressway near the Ogene Zaria/Onicha-Igo Junction, according to the police.
Police spokesperson, Saliu Afusat, who disclosed this in a statement issued said security operatives launched a rescue operation shortly after receiving a distress call about the attack.
The incident occurred at about 4:40 p.m. when armed men emerged from the surrounding bush and blocked two buses travelling in opposite directions.
“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,” the statement said.
According to the command, some passengers managed to escape into the surrounding bush, while others were taken hostage by the attackers.
The Police Spokesperson said Sscurity personnel subsequently commenced a coordinated bush-combing operation around the area, leading 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,” the police said.
According to her, the rescued victims were debriefed and, after the necessary procedures, released to continue their journey.
However, the police said the operation had not ended, as some victims remained in captivity and security personnel continued searching the surrounding forest for them.
“The joint security operation remains ongoing in the surrounding forest with the primary objectives of rescuing the remaining victims, apprehending the perpetrators and bringing them to justice,” the command said.
15 NYSC members were abducted while returning to Abuja after completing their orientation programme in Bayelsa State.
A relative of one of the victims, Ayodele David, said that the corps members were travelling in two buses when the attackers struck.
The Kogi abduction has renewed concerns over kidnapping along major highways and forest corridors in Ofu, where security agencies have conducted several rescue operations in recent weeks.
