Kogi Kidnap Drama Ends: 21 Abducted Travellers, including 15 NYSC Members, Rescued from Forest
The victims, abducted along a Kogi highway on August 26, were freed after a coordinated operation involving troops, police, DSS personnel, hunters and vigilantes, while the search for the suspected kidnappers continues.
The ordeal of 21 people abducted along a highway in Kogi State has ended after a joint security operation rescued all the victims from a forest hideout, authorities said.
The rescued group includes 15 National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members and six other travellers, according to updates from the Defence Headquarters and the Presidency.
One male victim sustained a gunshot wound to the leg during the operation and was evacuated for medical treatment. Authorities said the rescued victims were undergoing medical checks and documentation before being reunited with their families.
President Bola Tinubu said the operation resulted in the recovery of all 21 abductees — eight males and 13 females — describing the development as a significant success for the security agencies involved.
The rescue followed the abduction of passengers travelling along a highway in Kogi State on August 26, 2026, when armed men reportedly emerged from surrounding bushes and attacked two vehicles.
The incident occurred at about 4:40 p.m. around the Ogene Zaria area, along the Aloma–Egane/Alloma–Ejule–Itobe corridor in Ofu Local Government Area.
According to police reports, the attackers blocked two buses travelling in opposite directions before taking some passengers into the surrounding forest.
Other passengers reportedly managed to escape into the bush, while the attackers abandoned the vehicles at the scene.
One of the vehicles was identified as a Peace Mass Transit bus, while the other was described as a yellow 18-seater vehicle.
Most of the NYSC members had reportedly completed their orientation programme in Bayelsa State and were travelling towards Abuja as members of the 2026 Batch B Stream II.
The rescue operation unfolded in stages.
Security authorities had earlier announced the recovery of 11 people, including the drivers of the two vehicles, following initial search operations after the attack.
The subsequent forest operation resulted in the recovery of the remaining group, bringing the official number of people rescued from the particular incident to 21.
Officials have stressed that the two figures should not be added together.
The 11 people recovered during the initial operation formed part of the overall group of 21 abducted in the incident. Monday’s operation therefore brought the total number of victims recovered to 21 rather than 32.
The decisive operation took place on Monday, August 31, when troops from the 12 Brigade of the Nigerian Army, working with police officers, Department of State Services personnel, local hunters and members of the Vigilante Group of Nigeria, moved into the forest.
According to military information, the security team located a makeshift camp at about 2:30 p.m.
The suspected kidnappers reportedly fled as the security forces approached, allowing the operatives to recover the hostages.
The camp was subsequently destroyed, while the rescued victims were evacuated for treatment and documentation.
One male victim was reportedly taken to the 21 Battalion Medical Reception Station after sustaining a gunshot injury to his leg.
The operation represents an important breakthrough for the families who had spent several days waiting for information about their relatives.
During the period of captivity, some relatives reportedly appealed publicly for government intervention, while claims circulated that the kidnappers were demanding ransom payments.
Reports of a ransom demand of approximately ₦20 million per person circulated during the crisis, although authorities did not officially confirm the figure.
There were also conflicting accounts concerning the precise number of NYSC members among those abducted.
While some Kogi police statements reportedly referred to 10 corps members, the Defence Headquarters and the Presidency put the number at 15.
The 15-member figure is therefore the stronger official figure currently available from federal authorities, although an official name-by-name list from NYSC would provide greater clarity.
There have also been differences in descriptions of the exact location of the forest hideout.
The Army’s 12 Brigade associated the operation with Dekina Local Government Area, while the Presidency referred to Ofu Local Government Area.
The communities and routes mentioned in reports — including Egume, Ochaja, Alloma, Ejule and Itobe — are located within the broader corridor affected by the security operation.
Despite the successful rescue, the operation is not considered the end of the security case.
President Tinubu said security forces remain on the trail of the suspected kidnappers and those who may have assisted them.
The focus has therefore shifted from rescuing the victims to identifying and apprehending the attackers.
Chief of Army Staff Lt. Gen. Waidi Shaibu commended the personnel involved in the operation, including soldiers, police officers, DSS personnel, local hunters and vigilantes.
The rescued victims were expected to undergo medical assessment and documentation before being handed over to the relevant civilian authorities and reunited with their families.
The incident has once again highlighted security concerns along inter-state highways used by NYSC members, commercial passengers and other travellers.
For the families involved, however, the immediate relief is that all 21 victims from the August 26 Kogi highway attack are officially out of captivity.
Authorities are now expected to intensify efforts to track down the kidnappers and prevent similar attacks along the vulnerable highway corridor.
