The Kogi State Police Command has confirmed the abduction of several National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members travelling from Bayelsa State to Abuja, announcing that 11 of the victims have been rescued.
The corps members were reportedly kidnapped last Wednesday along the Aloma–Egane Expressway in Ofu Local Government Area after armed assailants emerged from the bush and intercepted two buses travelling in opposite directions.
The police confirmed the rescue operation on Friday in response to an inquiry from a correspondent.
The command’s spokesperson, ASP Salisu Oyiza Afusat, said the Divisional Police Officer in Ofu mobilised a joint team of security personnel and headed to the location after receiving a distress call.
She said two abandoned vehicles, a Peace Mass Transit white Hummer bus and a yellow 18-seater bus, were recovered before a coordinated bush-combing and rescue operation was launched.
“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,” Afusat said.
According to her, 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,” she said.
Afusat added that the rescued victims had been debriefed and, after necessary procedures, were allowed to continue their journey.
She said the joint security operation remained ongoing in the surrounding forest, with the primary objectives of rescuing any remaining victims, apprehending the perpetrators and bringing them to justice.
The command assured members of the public that every available operational and intelligence resource was being deployed to secure the area and ensure the safe recovery of the remaining victims.