Fifteen members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) have reportedly been abducted by armed men along the Ofu/Itobe–Onicha-Igo road in Ofu Local Government Area of Kogi State.
The corps members were said to have been travelling to Abuja after completing their orientation programme when their vehicles came under attack on Wednesday.
According to information obtained from a relative of one of the victims, the corps members were part of the 2026 Batch ‘B’ Stream II contingent and had just concluded their orientation activities at the NYSC Permanent Orientation Camp in Kolokuma/Opokuma Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.
The group reportedly travelled in two vehicles when they were intercepted along the highway in Kogi State.
One of the victims was identified by his relative as Ayodele David. The family member said a police officer, identified as Adeji Joshua, later contacted some of the affected families and confirmed that the incident occurred around the Ofu/Itobe–Onicha-Igo axis.
The victims reportedly included passengers travelling in a Peace Mass Transit bus and another vehicle bearing the number 564.
The relative explained that the driver of the Peace Mass Transit vehicle sustained serious injuries during the attack but was left behind by the abductors. He was subsequently taken to a hospital for medical attention.
According to the account, 16 people were initially recorded on the bus manifest. However, one corps member was reportedly transferred to another vehicle after the driver indicated that the bus was already full.
This reportedly left 15 people among those taken away by the attackers.
The abductors were said to have communicated in Fulfulde, Hausa and English. However, relatives of the victims said they were unable to independently establish the identity or affiliation of the attackers.
A video reportedly recorded at the scene appeared to show gunmen firing at the vehicles before taking away the passengers.
At the time of publication, it remained unclear whether the abductors had contacted the families to demand ransom. The identities of the attackers also had not been independently established.
Attempts to obtain an immediate official reaction from the Kogi State Police Command were unsuccessful. Calls to the command’s spokesperson, Saliu Afusat, were reportedly unanswered. Peace Mass Transit’s publicly listed customer service and emergency lines also could not be reached.
The latest incident has renewed concerns about the security of major highways in Kogi State, particularly routes passing through areas surrounded by forests that can provide possible escape routes for criminal groups.
Kogi has recorded several kidnapping incidents in recent weeks. On August 9, security agencies reported another attack involving commuters along the Ojuwo-Ajengo-Memarebo and Ojiwo-Itobe routes in Ofu Local Government Area.
The Nigerian Army subsequently announced that troops, working alongside the police, Navy, local vigilantes and hunters, rescued 16 abducted persons following an encounter with the kidnappers around Adumu in Dekina Local Government Area.
One local hunter reportedly lost his life during the operation, while a police officer sustained injuries.
Earlier, on August 8, the Kogi State Police Command disclosed that security operations had been intensified around the Okene-Ajaokuta axis following another kidnapping incident along the Okene-Auchi Road.
The operation reportedly involved police tactical teams and personnel of the Nigerian Army, with assistance from the Edo State Police Command around the Kogi-Edo border.
The repeated attacks have intensified concerns over the safety of motorists, passengers and other travellers using major roads across Kogi State.
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For families of the abducted NYSC members, attention is now focused on efforts to locate the victims and secure their safe return as security agencies continue efforts to contain kidnapping and other criminal activities along the state’s highways.
