Eleven people, including National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members, have been rescued after gunmen attacked vehicles along the Aloma–Egane Expressway in Ofu Local Government Area of Kogi State, while security operatives continue searching for other victims still believed to be in captivity.
The incident occurred on Wednesday, August 26, 2026, as the corps members were travelling from the NYSC Permanent Orientation Camp in Kolokuma/Opokuma Local Government Area of Bayelsa State towards Abuja after completing their orientation programme.
Initial reports indicated that 15 NYSC members were among those abducted along the Ofu/Itobe–Onicha-Igo axis. The development triggered concern among relatives and renewed attention to the security situation along Kogi’s major highways.
Kogi Police Confirm Attack, Rescue 11 Victims
The Kogi State Police Command later confirmed the attack, saying armed men emerged from the surrounding bush and intercepted two buses around Ogene Zaria, near the Ogene Zaria–Onicha-Igo Junction.
According to the police, the incident occurred at about 4:40 p.m. on Wednesday when the assailants blocked two vehicles travelling in opposite directions and abducted some of the passengers, while others escaped into the surrounding bush.
The Divisional Police Officer in Ofu subsequently led a joint security team to the scene following a distress call.
Two abandoned vehicles, including a Peace Mass Transit white Hummer bus and a yellow 18-seater bus, were recovered from the area.
The police said a coordinated bush-combing and rescue operation was immediately launched, leading to the recovery of 11 abducted victims, including the drivers of the two buses.
Preliminary debriefing indicated that most of those rescued were NYSC members travelling from Bayelsa State to Abuja.
Search Continues for Remaining Victims
Despite the rescue operation, the Kogi State Police Command said its operation in the surrounding forest was still ongoing.
The security operation is aimed at locating the remaining victims, apprehending the attackers and bringing those responsible for the attack to justice.
The development means that the initial reports of 15 abducted NYSC members have since been followed by an official account confirming the rescue of 11 victims, while the fate and exact number of those still in captivity remain subject to the ongoing operation.
Families Raised Alarm Over Abduction
Before the police confirmation, relatives of some of the victims had raised the alarm over the incident.
One relative told the Foundation for Investigative Journalism that his brother, identified as Ayodele David, was among those reportedly abducted while travelling to Abuja after completing the NYSC orientation programme in Bayelsa State.
The relative said the victims were travelling in two buses when the attackers struck along the Ofu/Itobe–Onicha-Igo axis.
He also said a police officer had contacted some of the families after obtaining information from a passenger manifest left behind at the scene.
Earlier reports said the Peace Mass Transit vehicle was among the buses attacked and that its driver sustained injuries during the incident.
Fresh Security Concern Along Kogi Highway
The latest incident adds to a series of kidnapping attacks reported along major highways and forest corridors in Kogi State in recent weeks.
The Ofu axis has previously witnessed attacks involving commercial vehicles and passengers. Earlier this month, suspected kidnappers attacked three buses and abducted passengers along the Itobe road, prompting security agencies to intensify operations in the area.
Security forces subsequently mounted a rescue operation that led to the recovery of 15 kidnap victims after a gun battle with suspected abductors. The Bureau Journal reported the rescue of the 15 victims following the Itobe gun battle, although security personnel also suffered casualties during the operation.
The repeated attacks have raised concerns over the vulnerability of travellers using the state’s forest-lined transportation corridors.
Kogi Faces Wider Security Challenges
The security situation extends beyond highway kidnappings. In July, students, a school principal and a NECO official were abducted during an examination in Dekina Local Government Area, prompting a security response in the area.
Security agencies have also continued operations aimed at disrupting criminal networks operating across Kogi. In May, Nigerian security forces arrested two suspected terrorists during a patrol operation in Ajaokuta.
In another operation, security agencies intercepted an arms cache as authorities worked to prevent criminal groups from regrouping in the state. The Bureau Journal reported the Kogi arms interception and the subsequent security response.
Authorities Intensify Rescue Operation
The police command said the ongoing operation involves coordinated security efforts in the surrounding forest as authorities work to secure the affected corridor.
The command has also urged residents and travellers to remain vigilant and provide security agencies with credible information that could assist in locating criminal elements operating in the area.
The latest development underscores the continuing security challenge facing travellers along some Kogi highways, particularly routes bordered by large forested areas that can provide cover for criminal groups.
For the families of the remaining victims, however, the immediate priority remains their safe recovery.
As security personnel continue the search, authorities are expected to provide further updates on the number of victims still in captivity and the progress of efforts to apprehend the attackers.
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