Bandits' Reign of Terror Ends: Kogi Travelers, NYSC Members Rescued in Daring Army Operation
President Bola Tinubu announced the successful rescue of 21 abductees, including 15 NYSC members, from kidnappers in Kogi State. A joint operation by military, police, DSS, and local vigilantes secured their release from a forest hideout. All victims are now receiving medical attention before being reunited with their families.
In a significant security operation, all 21 individuals abducted last week in Kogi State, including 15 members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), have been successfully rescued. President Bola Tinubu personally announced the freedom of the abductees on Monday, expressing his delight and commending the collaborative efforts of security agencies. The rescue operation, which also freed six other Nigerian citizens, was the result of a well-coordinated Search and Rescue (SAR) mission carried out in the forests of Ofu Local Government Area.
The abduction occurred last Wednesday along the Aloma-Egane Expressway, also described as the Alloma, Ejule and Itobe road axis, in Ofu Local Government Area. The 15 NYSC members were reportedly travelling from their Permanent Orientation Camp in Kolokuma/Opokuma Local Government Area of Bayelsa State to Abuja after completing their three-week orientation exercise. Early reports indicated abductors had demanded N20 million from the family of each victim still in captivity.
The successful rescue operation on Monday was a joint effort involving personnel from the military (specifically troops of 12 Brigade under 2 Division Nigerian Army), the Nigerian Police Force (Kogi State Command), the Department of State Services (DSS), local vigilantes, and local hunters from Dekina Local Government Area. This combined team launched a coordinated search operation within the Egume and Ochaja forest stretch, where the kidnappers' hideout was located. The operation led to the safe recovery of all twenty-one abductees, comprising eight males and thirteen females.
Following their rescue, the corps members and other individuals are currently receiving necessary medical attention. One male victim, however, sustained a gunshot wound to the leg during the operation and was immediately evacuated to the 21 Battalion Medical Reception Station for treatment, while the other 20 victims are also receiving attention at the 21 Battalion Headquarters. Measures are being taken to facilitate their safe reunification with their families and appropriate authorities.
President Tinubu lauded the combined SAR team for their courage and appreciated the families and loved ones of the abductees for their understanding during the ordeal. He reiterated his administration's unwavering commitment to ensuring that every Nigerian can travel across the country without fear and assured parents of NYSC members of the government's dedication to protecting their lives and property. Kogi State Commissioner of Police, CP Naziru Kankarofi, also commended the security personnel involved in the operation and thanked residents for their crucial information.
Security forces are still actively pursuing the routed kidnappers, in line with the President's directive to sustain pressure on all criminal elements. Those responsible will face the full weight of the law, and agencies will pursue everyone who aided this crime. This incident underscores the persistent security challenges along road networks in Kogi State, where kidnappers frequently exploit surrounding forest areas to abduct travellers. The Nigerian Army and other security agencies have urged residents to remain vigilant and provide timely, credible information to support ongoing efforts to combat kidnapping and other forms of criminality effectively.