The sister of one of the National Youth Service Corps members abducted in Kogi State has appealed to the Federal Government and security agencies to intensify efforts to rescue the remaining victims.
The woman, identified as Chidinma, said her family was still mourning the death of their mother and could not cope with another tragedy.
In an emotional appeal shared on Instagram on Saturday, Chidinma said the abducted corps members remained in the forest while their families struggled with ransom demands allegedly made by their captors.
“Those children are in the forest suffering, the kidnappers kept asking for what we cannot afford. Government should take this matter up because those children are still government property.”
She also disputed reports that all the abducted corps members had been rescued, insisting that her sister remained missing.
“They did not rescue anybody. My sister will not go like that, we just lost our mum few months back, and now my sister. Nigerians should come to our rescue.”
Chidinma had earlier appealed to the government, the police, NYSC and members of the public after her sister and other corps members were abducted while travelling from Bayelsa State to Abuja.
According to her, her sister had travelled to Bayelsa for the mandatory three-week NYSC orientation camp before being posted to Niger State for her Place of Primary Assignment.
She said her sister was returning to Abuja to spend the night before travelling to Niger State when armed men attacked the vehicle.
“On her way coming back, kidnappers attacked her. The driver was killed. My sister and the rest of the corps members were taken to the bush.”
She said the family had not received sufficient information about her sister’s whereabouts and appealed to the Federal Government, security agencies and the United Nations to intervene.
“I don’t want to lose my sister. I don’t want Nigeria to happen to me. I don’t want Nigeria to happen to my family.”
Police confirm rescue of 11 victims
The Kogi State Police Command, however, has confirmed that several NYSC members were abducted along the Aloma-Egane Expressway in Ofu Local Government Area, while also announcing the rescue of 11 victims.
According to the police, armed men emerged from the bush on Wednesday and blocked two buses travelling in opposite directions, abducting some passengers while others escaped.
The command said a distress call prompted the Divisional Police Officer in Ofu to mobilise a joint security team to the area.
Two abandoned vehicles, identified as a Peace Mass Transit white Hummer bus and a yellow 18-seater bus, were recovered at the scene.
The police spokesperson, ASP Salisu Oyiza Afusat, said the ensuing operation resulted in the rescue of 11 victims, including the drivers of the two buses.
“Preliminary debriefing indicates that most of the rescued victims are NYSC members travelling from Bayelsa State to Abuja.”
The rescued victims were reportedly debriefed before being allowed to continue their journey.
However, the police said operations were still ongoing in the surrounding forest to locate any remaining victims and arrest the perpetrators.
The command assured the public that intelligence and operational resources were being deployed to secure the area and facilitate the safe recovery of those still unaccounted for.
The conflicting accounts have left families seeking clearer information on the number of victims still in captivity and the progress of the ongoing rescue operation.
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