How Police and Hunters Rescued 15 NYSC Members, Six Others in Kogi

The Kogi State Police Command has explained how a joint security operation led to the rescue of 21 people, including 15 National Youth Service Corps members, who were abducted by kidnappers in Ofu Local Government Area of the state.

The victims were rescued from a kidnappers’ camp in the Egume Forest on Monday afternoon following a coordinated operation involving the police, military, Department of State Services (DSS), local vigilantes and hunters.

Kogi State Commissioner of Police, Naziru Kankarofi, said security commanders immediately convened an emergency meeting after receiving information about the abduction and began planning a search-and-rescue operation.

He said the security agencies gradually narrowed down the location of the kidnappers and enlisted local vigilantes and hunters because of their detailed knowledge of the difficult forest terrain.

According to the commissioner, the operation intensified on Sunday and culminated in an encounter with the kidnappers at about 4pm on Monday.

The security forces engaged the kidnappers in a serious gun battle before eventually overpowering them and rescuing all the corps members and other abducted persons.

Kankarofi disclosed that four suspected kidnappers were killed during the exchange of fire, while several others escaped with gunshot injuries. Security personnel remained in the area to search for the fleeing suspects.

He also said two of the rescued victims — one NYSC member and one civilian who had been abducted from another vehicle — sustained gunshot injuries to their right legs during the operation and were receiving treatment.

The 15 corps members had been travelling from Bayelsa State after completing their NYSC orientation programme when they were attacked after entering Kogi along the Itobe-Ajaokuta Highway.

The police commissioner said the corps members were travelling in a vehicle when gunmen emerged from the bush and forced them into the forest. Passengers travelling in another vehicle were also abducted.

A rescued corps member, David Ayodele, later recounted that the abductors allegedly flogged and kicked some of the victims as they were taken deeper into the forest. He said the kidnappers threatened to keep them there for a month and kill them.

The successful rescue brought the total number of recovered victims to 21 — eight males and 13 females. President Bola Tinubu confirmed the rescue and commended the combined security team for the operation.

The President said the rescued victims were receiving medical attention before being reunited with their families, while security forces continued pursuing the kidnappers and those who may have assisted them.

Kankarofi said the Kogi Police Command had also contacted security authorities in neighbouring Enugu State to help block possible escape routes used by the fleeing suspects.

The commissioner urged residents and travellers to remain calm, describing the incident as an isolated case and assuring the public that security agencies remained active across the state.

The police have continued searching the surrounding forests for the fleeing suspects, while investigations are expected to provide further information about the kidnapping network and those responsible for the attack.