10 NYSC Members Rescued From Kogi Forest, Five Others Still Missing
By Anne Osemekeh, Abuja
Ten National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members abducted by suspected kidnappers in Kogi State have been rescued from Egume Forest in Ofu Local Government Area.
The Kogi State Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Afusat Saliu, disclosed this on Monday, saying the rescue followed a coordinated, sustained and intelligence-driven operation involving the police, military, Department of State Services (DSS) and other security and auxiliary forces. This is even as the security forces sustain efforts to locate the remaining victims and apprehend the perpetrators.
The victims were among 15 corps members abducted last week while travelling from Abuja to Bayelsa State, with the kidnappers reportedly demanding N20 million for each victim.
TheFact Daily notes that the latest abduction comes amid a wider resurgence of kidnapping along Nigeria’s highways, with travelers, students and other civilians increasingly targeted for ransom.
Saliu said the ongoing operation was aimed at securing the safe recovery of the remaining victims, dismantling criminal elements operating in the area and bringing those responsible to justice. She added that security forces had intensified operations in the area while pursuing the perpetrators.
The Commissioner of Police, CP Naziru Bello Kankarofi, commended the security personnel and residents who provided information that aided the operation. He urged the public to remain vigilant and promptly report suspicious movements or information that could assist in rescuing the remaining victims and arresting the kidnappers.
