11 NYSC Members Rescued, Others Remain in Captivity as Gunmen Attack Travellers on Kogi Highway
The Kogi State Police Command has confirmed the abduction of passengers, including a number of National Youth Service Corps members, along the Aloma–Egane Expressway in Ofu Local Government Area, with 11 victims successfully rescued in a joint security operation. However, several corps members are still believed to be in captivity as security forces continue to comb the surrounding forests.
The attack occurred on Wednesday, August 26, 2026, at about 4:40 p.m. near the Ogene Zaria/Onicha-Igo Junction, when armed hoodlums emerged from the bush and blocked two buses travelling in opposite directions. The victims were members of the 2026 Batch ‘B’ Stream II, returning to Abuja after completing their mandatory three-week orientation programme at the NYSC Permanent Orientation Camp in Kolokuma/Opokuma Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.
According to the Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Salisu Oyiza Afusat, security operatives launched an immediate rescue operation following a distress call. The Divisional Police Officer in Ofu led a joint security team to the scene, where two abandoned vehicles—a white Peace Mass Transit Hummer bus and a yellow 18-seater bus—were recovered. A coordinated bush-combing and rescue operation was subsequently launched, resulting in the rescue of 11 abducted victims, including the drivers of both buses. “Preliminary debriefing indicates that most of the rescued victims are NYSC members travelling from Bayelsa State to Abuja,” Afusat stated. The rescued victims were debriefed and, after necessary procedures, were allowed to continue their journey.
However, reports indicate that not all victims have been accounted for. A relative of one of the abducted corps members told the Foundation for Investigative Journalism (FIJ) that 15 corps members were kidnapped during the attack. The source identified his brother, Ayodele David, as among those still in captivity. According to the relative, the driver of the Peace Mass Transit bus was left behind after sustaining injuries during the attack, and the abductors reportedly spoke Fulfulde, Hausa, and English. The police spokesperson confirmed that the joint security operation remains ongoing in the surrounding forest, with the objectives of rescuing any remaining victims, arresting the criminals, and bringing them to justice. The command assured the public that all available operational and intelligence resources are being deployed to secure the region and ensure the safe recovery of the remaining victims.
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The police confirmation followed a viral video in which a woman identifying herself as the sister of one of the abducted corps members made an emotional appeal for government help. She stated that her sister had been to Bayelsa for the orientation training and was returning to Abuja when the vehicle she was travelling in was attacked. The woman disclosed that her family had recently lost their mother and pleaded for help in securing her sister’s safe return. “I am begging Nigerians… Nothing should happen to them. Nothing should happen to my sister,” she said. Another relative, Chisom Ede, also claimed his sister was among the abducted corps members and called on the NYSC, Federal Government, and security agencies to intensify rescue efforts. According to social media reports, families have alleged that the abductors are demanding N20 million in ransom, though authorities have not officially confirmed this claim.
The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has condemned the abduction, demanding the immediate rescue and safe return of all corps members. In a statement signed by its National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko, HURIWA said it was “shocked and angry” that young Nigerians serving their country could still be kidnapped while travelling on Nigerian highways. “How many more corps members must be kidnapped before the government wakes up?” the organisation asked. HURIWA called for an urgent review of the NYSC scheme, particularly the movement of corps members through areas known to pose serious security risks. The organisation questioned why corps members travelling from high-risk areas could not be provided with safer transportation arrangements, including air transport where necessary, before proceeding to their places of primary assignment. “The government cannot keep posting young Nigerians to dangerous areas and then leave them to face armed kidnappers on the highways,” HURIWA said, describing the situation as unacceptable.
The abduction is the latest in a series of kidnapping incidents reported along Kogi State’s highways in recent weeks. Earlier in August, security agencies reported another kidnapping along the Ojuwo-Ajengo-Memarebo and Ojiwo-Itobe roads in Ofu Local Government Area, with the Nigerian Army subsequently rescuing 16 victims. The recurring attacks have heightened concerns about the safety of Nigerians travelling on the country’s highways, particularly in areas where criminal gangs exploit vast forests and poorly secured stretches of road to carry out attacks. The incident has once again raised questions about the security arrangements for corps members and other travellers using vulnerable routes across the country. The Kogi abduction is more than another isolated security incident. It highlights the growing vulnerability of ordinary Nigerians who must travel across the country for work, education, national service, and other legitimate purposes.