A rescued National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) member, Ayodele David, has recounted the ordeal he and other victims allegedly endured after they were abducted by gunmen in Kogi State.
David was among corps members travelling from the NYSC Permanent Orientation Camp in Kolokuma/Opokuma Local Government Area of Bayelsa State to Abuja after completing their orientation programme when the attackers intercepted their vehicles in Kogi.
The incident occurred on August 26 along the Ofu/Itobe–Onicha-Igo axis in Ofu Local Government Area, where armed men reportedly stopped two buses and took several passengers into the bush.
According to reports, the abductors threatened to keep the victims in captivity for one month and kill them if their demands were not met. The captives were also allegedly warned not to move without permission from their captors.
David and other victims were subsequently rescued during a coordinated security operation in the area.
The Kogi State Police Command confirmed that 11 victims, including NYSC members and the drivers of the two buses, were rescued following a search-and-rescue operation launched after the attack. The police said preliminary debriefing indicated that most of those rescued were corps members travelling from Bayelsa State to Abuja.
The victims were reportedly taken through the surrounding forest during the ordeal, where their movements were closely controlled by the kidnappers.
David’s account provides a glimpse into the conditions faced by the victims while in captivity, as security agencies continued efforts to locate other persons who may still be held by the attackers.
The initial reports indicated that 15 NYSC members were among those abducted. They were members of the 2026 Batch B Stream II and had just completed their orientation programme before beginning their journey to Abuja.
A relative of David had earlier confirmed his abduction and said the victims were travelling in a Peace Mass Transit bus and another vehicle marked 564 when they were attacked.
Police said the attack occurred near the Ogene Zaria/Onicha-Igo junction along the Aloma-Egane Expressway, adding that some passengers escaped into the surrounding bush while others were taken hostage.
Following the rescue of 11 victims, security operatives continued searching the surrounding forest for those still missing and working to apprehend the perpetrators.
The incident has renewed concerns about the safety of corps members and other travellers using major highways in Kogi, particularly routes passing through forested areas that have been linked to previous kidnapping incidents.
Authorities have continued to urge travellers to remain vigilant while security agencies intensify operations to secure the affected routes.
