Kogi Kidnap: Gunmen Demand N20m Each for Abducted Corps Members

Gunmen who abducted members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) travelling from Bayelsa State to Abuja have demanded N20 million for the release of each of the victims still in captivity.

The latest development follows the abduction of corps members along the Ofu/Itobe–Onicha-Igo axis in Ofu Local Government Area of Kogi State.

The corps members were returning to Abuja after completing their three-week orientation programme at the NYSC permanent orientation camp in Kolokuma/Opokuma Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.

A family member of one of the abducted corps members disclosed that the kidnappers had contacted the family and demanded N20 million for the victim’s release.

“One of our daughters who was kidnapped on her way from Bayelsa State to Abuja after completing three weeks orientation camp. The kidnappers are requesting N20 million,” the source said.

The ransom demand has heightened anxiety among families whose relatives remain in the custody of the abductors, as security agencies continue efforts to locate and rescue them.

National Periscope had earlier reported that gunmen intercepted two buses conveying the corps members along the Kogi route after they left the Bayelsa orientation camp.

Initial accounts indicated that as many as 15 corps members were taken during the attack. The victims were travelling in a Peace Mass Transit bus and another yellow Toyota bus marked 564 when the gunmen struck.

The Kogi State Police Command subsequently confirmed the abduction, saying passengers, including NYSC members, were among those taken.

However, in an update on the security operation, the police said 11 victims, including the drivers of the two vehicles, had been rescued by security personnel.

The command said operations were continuing to locate and free those still being held by the kidnappers.

The circumstances surrounding the number of victims still in captivity could not be independently established at the time of filing this report, but the latest ransom demand indicates that some of the corps members remain in the abductors’ custody.

Earlier accounts of the attack said the gunmen opened fire before forcing passengers out of the vehicles and taking them into the bush.

A police officer who had earlier contacted relatives of the victims said the attackers reportedly spoke Fulfulde, Hausa and English, although their identities and affiliations had not been established.

The driver of the Peace Mass Transit bus was reportedly left behind after sustaining gunshot injuries and was taken to hospital for treatment.

The attack occurred shortly after the corps members completed their orientation programme, renewing concerns over the safety of NYSC members as they travel between states.

Families of those still missing are now urging the Federal Government, the NYSC and security agencies to intensify efforts to secure their release.

The ransom demand also adds a fresh dimension to the rescue operation, with relatives facing pressure from the abductors while waiting for security agencies to account for the whereabouts of their loved ones.

Security agencies have yet to publicly disclose the identity of the suspected kidnappers or indicate whether negotiations have commenced over the ransom demands.