‘I just lost my mum, can’t lose my sister,’ says sibling of abducted corps member

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 victims.

The woman, identified as Chidinma, said her family was still grieving the death of their mother some months ago and could not bear another loss.

In an emotional appeal shared on her Instagram Story on Saturday, she said the abducted corps members were still being held in the forest while their families struggled to meet the kidnappers’ ransom demands.

“My sister was taken away on Wednesday and other corps members. They are not doing anything. They keep telling us that they are on it.

“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 said.

Chidinma also disputed reports that some of the abducted corps members had been rescued, saying her sister was still missing.

“I heard some bloggers said they rescued some. 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,” she said.

Earlier on Thursday, Chidinma had posted an emotional video appealing to the government, the police, the NYSC and Nigerians to intervene.

According to her, her sister had travelled to Bayelsa State for the NYSC three-week orientation camp and was later posted to Niger State for her Place of Primary Assignment.

She said her sister was returning from Bayelsa to Abuja when the vehicle conveying her and other corps members was attacked.

“She went to Bayelsa for her three-week camp. After the camp she was posted to Niger. On her way coming back from Bayelsa to Abuja, she was coming back to spend the day in Abuja.

“So the next day when she’s done with all the hosting, she’ll go to Niger State to report for her PPA. 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. Up till now, we have not heard anything. The police are not giving us any positive feedback,” she said.

She appealed to the Federal Government, Nigerians and the United Nations to intervene.

“I’m begging Nigerians, I’m begging the government, I’m begging the United Nations to do something. Nothing should happen to them. Nothing should happen to my sister,” she pleaded.

She also accused the NYSC of failing to provide her family with adequate information about efforts to rescue the victims.

She added, “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. NYSC should do something. The government should do something.

“The police force should do something. The Air Force should do something. They should do something.”

Meanwhile, the Kogi State Police Command has confirmed the abduction of several NYSC members travelling from Bayelsa State to Abuja, saying 11 victims had been rescued.

The victims were abducted last Wednesday along the Aloma–Egane Expressway in Ofu Local Government Area of Kogi State after armed men reportedly emerged from the bush and blocked two buses travelling in opposite directions.

The command confirmed the rescue on Friday in response to an enquiry by our correspondent.

The police spokesperson, ASP Salisu Oyiza Afusat, said the Divisional Police Officer in Ofu led a joint security team to the scene after receiving a distress call.

She said two abandoned vehicles — a Peace Mass Transit white Hummer bus and a yellow 18-seater bus — were recovered before security operatives launched a coordinated bush-combing and rescue operation.

Afusat said, “At about 1640hrs, armed hoodlums emerged from the bush around Ogene Zaria, near the Ogene Zaria/Onicha-Igo Junction, blocked two buses travelling in opposite directions and abducted some passengers, while others escaped into the surrounding bush.”

According to her, the operation led to the rescue of 11 abducted 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,” she said.

Afusat added that the rescued victims were debriefed and, after necessary procedures, allowed to continue their journey.

She said the joint security operation remained ongoing in the surrounding forest, with the aim of rescuing any remaining victims and arresting the perpetrators.

The command assured the public that available operational and intelligence resources were being deployed to secure the area and facilitate the safe recovery of the remaining victims