Fear and uncertainty have gripped families after gunmen abducted several passengers, including National Youth Service Corps members, along a major road in Kogi State.
The victims were travelling from Bayelsa State to Abuja after completing their three-week NYSC orientation exercise when the attack occurred on Wednesday along the Aloma-Egane Expressway in Ofu Local Government Area.
The Kogi State Police Command said the attackers emerged from the bush at about 4:40 p.m. near the Ogene Zaria/Onicha-Igo Junction and intercepted two buses travelling in opposite directions.
According to police spokesperson Saliu Afusat, some passengers managed to escape into the bush while others were taken away by the gunmen.
Security operatives were quickly deployed following a distress call. Two abandoned buses, including a Peace Mass Transit vehicle and a yellow 18-seater bus, were recovered at the scene.
A subsequent bush-combing operation led to the rescue of 11 abducted persons, including the drivers of the two vehicles.
Police said preliminary debriefing showed that most of those rescued were NYSC members travelling from Bayelsa to Abuja. They were later debriefed and allowed to continue their journeys.
However, the police have not disclosed the total number of people abducted or confirmed how many remain in captivity.
Families Raise Alarm
As security agencies intensify the search, relatives of some missing corps members are appealing for urgent government intervention.
A woman identified as Chidimma said her sister was among those abducted. She explained that the corps member had completed her orientation programme in Bayelsa and was posted to Niger State for her primary assignment.
According to her, the young woman intended to spend the night in Abuja before continuing to Niger State when the attack occurred.
Another relative, Chisom Ede, also said his sister was among the missing passengers and appealed to the NYSC, Federal Government and security agencies to intensify efforts to rescue those still being held.
Meanwhile, a social media post alleged that the abductors were demanding N20 million in ransom and circulated a purported list of passengers travelling in one of the buses.
The ransom claim and the authenticity of the circulated list have not been independently verified.
The Kogi State Police Command says all available operational and intelligence resources have been deployed to locate the remaining victims and secure their safe release.
For the families waiting for their loved ones, the focus now is simple: bring them home safely.
