Crime Watch:
15 NYSC Members Reportedly Abducted In Kogi While Returning From Camp
Fifteen members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) have reportedly been abducted by gunmen while travelling through Kogi State after completing their orientation programme in Bayelsa State. The incident reportedly occurred on Wednesday along the Ofu/Itobe–Onicha-Igo axis in Ofu Local Government Area of Kogi State.
The victims were members of the 2026 Batch ‘B’ Stream II and were said to be returning to Abuja after completing their activities at the NYSC Permanent Orientation Camp in Kolokuma/Opokuma Local Government Area of Bayelsa State. According to reports, they were travelling in two buses when the gunmen intercepted them.
A relative of one of the victims, identified as Ayodele David, reportedly told the Foundation for Investigative Journalism (FIJ) that his brother was among those abducted. The relative said the victims were travelling in a Peace Mass Transit bus and another vehicle marked “564” when the attackers struck.
Families of the affected corps members were reportedly alerted after a police officer, Adeji Joshua, contacted some of the next of kin using information contained in the passengers’ manifest. The officer reportedly confirmed that the attack took place around Ofu, along the Ofu/Itobe–Onicha-Igo axis.
The driver of the Peace Mass Transit bus was reportedly left behind after sustaining serious injuries during the attack and was taken to hospital for treatment. The relative also said the abductors were heard speaking Fulfulde, Hausa and English, although the identities or affiliations of the attackers could not be independently established.
The reported abduction has raised fresh concerns over the safety of corps members travelling on Nigerian highways, particularly after leaving orientation camps. As of the latest reports, the whereabouts and condition of the 15 abducted corps members remained unclear, with their families anxiously awaiting information about possible rescue efforts.
