Joint Security Forces Rescue 15 Abducted NYSC Members and 6 Others in Kogi
A joint security task force has successfully rescued 15 National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members and six other travellers who were kidnapped by gunmen in Kogi State.
The victims—comprising eight males and 13 females—were abducted on Wednesday, August 26, 2026. They were travelling from the NYSC orientation camp in Bayelsa State to Abuja when their bus was ambushed along the Alloma–Ejule–Itobe road.
The attackers subsequently marched them into the dense Egume and Ochaja forest areas within Dekina Local Government Area.
Following days of captivity, troops from the 12 Brigade of the Nigerian Army partnered with the Nigeria Police Force, the Department of State Services (DSS), local hunters, and vigilantes to launch an intelligence-driven rescue operation.
The coordinated search led to the safe recovery of all 21 hostages. While most of the victims emerged physically unharmed, one male corps member sustained a gunshot wound to the leg during the incident. He was immediately evacuated to a medical facility for treatment and stabilization.
The security forces also destroyed the kidnappers’ makeshift camp to prevent the criminal network from launching future attacks in the area. The rescued victims remain in military care ahead of their official handover to appropriate authorities.
