15 NYSC Members Abducted on Kogi Highway as Security Forces Launch Rescue Operation

The Kogi State Police Command has confirmed the abduction of 15 National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members by suspected armed bandits along the Aloma–Egane Expressway in Ofu Local Government Area, triggering an intensive rescue operation by security agencies.

The corps members were reportedly travelling from the NYSC Permanent Orientation Camp in Kolokuma/Opokuma Local Government Area of Bayelsa State to Abuja when their journey was violently interrupted by armed attackers.

In a statement issued on Friday, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in Kogi State, ASP Saliu Oyiza Afusat, said the incident occurred at about 4:40 p.m. on Wednesday, August 26, 2026, around Ogene Zaria, close to the Ogene Zaria/Onicha-Igo Junction.

According to the police, the gunmen emerged from nearby bushes and blocked two commercial buses travelling in opposite directions before forcefully taking away several passengers.

The attackers reportedly whisked away some of the travellers into the forest, while others managed to escape during the chaos.

“Following a distress call, the Divisional Police Officer in Ofu mobilised a joint security team to the scene,” Afusat said.

She disclosed that security operatives recovered two abandoned vehicles at the location of the attack — a white Peace Mass Transit Hummer bus and a yellow 18-seater commercial bus.

The police spokesperson said a coordinated search-and-rescue mission was immediately launched across the surrounding forests, leading to the successful rescue of 11 victims, including the drivers of the affected vehicles.

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“Preliminary debriefing revealed that the majority of the rescued victims are NYSC members who were travelling from Bayelsa State to Abuja,” she stated.

The rescued individuals were subsequently profiled and assisted to continue their journey after necessary security procedures were completed.

Despite the breakthrough, police said efforts were still ongoing to locate and rescue the remaining victims believed to be in captivity.

Afusat assured that security agencies were deploying all available operational and intelligence resources to track down the abductors and secure the release of those still being held.

She added that the ongoing operation is focused on rescuing the remaining victims, apprehending the suspects and ensuring they face prosecution.

The latest incident has renewed concerns over the security situation along major highways, particularly routes linking the North Central region with other parts of the country, where travellers have increasingly become targets of kidnappers and armed criminal groups.

Authorities have urged members of the public to remain calm while security forces intensify efforts to secure the area and bring the perpetrators to justice.