Family Disputes Police Rescue Claim As Kogi NYSC Ransom Demand Emerges

Families of some National Youth Service Corps members abducted in Kogi State say the victims are still in captivity, even after police reported that 11 people had been rescued from the same attack.

The new accounts centre on the Aloma-Egane Expressway in Ofu Local Government Area, where corps members travelling from Bayelsa State to Abuja were attacked after completing their orientation exercise. In an earlier report here, police said 11 victims, including drivers, had been rescued while searches continued for others.

Punch reported that a woman identified as Chidinma, whose sister was among the abducted corps members, appealed to the Federal Government, police, NYSC and Nigerians for urgent help. She said her family had recently lost their mother and could not bear losing her sister too.

She also challenged claims that all the abducted corps members had been rescued, saying her sister remained missing and that the victims were still in the forest. Her account adds fresh pressure on security agencies to clarify how many victims remain with the kidnappers.

Daily Trust reported that the kidnappers had contacted relatives and demanded N20 million for each abducted corps member. A family member told the newspaper that one of their daughters was kidnapped while returning from orientation camp in Bayelsa and that the demand had been passed to the family.

The Kogi State Police Command had earlier confirmed that passengers, including NYSC members, were abducted along the route. It said 11 people had been rescued after a joint operation, while efforts were continuing to find anyone still in captivity.

The competing accounts leave families waiting for clearer information from the authorities. For now, the relatives say the priority is the safe return of those still missing and faster action from the agencies handling the case.

Sources: Punch, Daily Trust