21 Abductees Rescued in Kogi Forest Operation

Fifteen National Youth Service Corps members and six other Nigerians have been rescued by security forces after being kidnapped in Kogi State, President Bola Tinubu announced on August 31, 2026. The 21 abductees, comprising eight males and 13 females, were freed from a kidnappers' den in the forests of Ofu Local Government Area following a coordinated search-and-rescue operation. The corps members were abducted on August 26, 2026, while traveling from the NYSC Permanent Orientation Camp in Bayelsa State to Abuja after completing their orientation program. According to accounts from the rescued individuals, gunmen intercepted their vehicles on the Aloma-Egane Expressway near the Ogene Zaria-Onicha-Igo Junction in Ofu Local Government Area at approximately 4:40 p.m. The attackers forced the passengers out at gunpoint after the driver of one vehicle attempted to escape. One of the rescued corps members, David Ayodele, recounted the harrowing experience in a video recorded after the rescue. He described how the victims were subjected to flogging, kicking, and verbal abuse as they were forced deep into the forest.