FUNAAB STUDENTS DEMAND PROOF OF RESCUE AS FAMILIES SEEK ANSWERS ON ABDUCTED CORPS MEMBERS

Students of the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Ogun State, have called for clarification over reports concerning the alleged rescue of National Youth Service Corps members abducted in Kogi State.

The university’s Students’ Union Government raised the concern after conflicting accounts emerged regarding the number of corps members who had been rescued and those still believed to be in captivity. The union said the uncertainty had heightened anxiety among the affected families. 

In a statement shared on Monday, the FUNAAB SUG acknowledged reports from the Kogi State Police Command that 11 victims had been rescued, while security agencies were continuing efforts to locate others who might still be held by their abductors.

However, the students’ union said relatives of some of the victims were still expressing doubts about the reported rescue, insisting that authorities should provide verifiable information about the identities and number of those released.

The union specifically demanded confirmation of the names of the rescued victims and evidence that they had actually returned safely.

It also referred to earlier reports that kidnappers were allegedly demanding N20m for each victim believed to remain in captivity. One of the affected corps members was identified as Adedolapo, a FUNAAB graduate of the College of Animal Resources Management and Animal Production. 

The SUG said the conflicting reports had left families in a difficult situation and called on security authorities and media organisations to verify information before announcing the status of the victims.

The union stressed that the families deserved accurate information, particularly given the seriousness of the abduction and the uncertainty surrounding the fate of their loved ones.

The development followed an appeal by the sister of another abducted corps member, identified as Chidinma, who urged the Federal Government and security agencies to intensify efforts to rescue the victims.

Chidinma said her sister remained missing and disputed reports suggesting that some of the abducted corps members had already been rescued.

According to her account, the corps members had travelled to Bayelsa State for the mandatory three-week NYSC orientation programme before some were posted to Niger State for their Places of Primary Assignment.

She said her sister was travelling from Bayelsa towards Abuja when the vehicle conveying her and other corps members was attacked by kidnappers.

The driver was reportedly killed during the attack, while the corps members were taken into a nearby forest. Chidinma said the family had continued to wait for positive information from the authorities.

She also appealed for urgent intervention, saying the family was already dealing with the loss of their mother several months earlier and could not bear another tragedy.

Meanwhile, the Kogi State Police Command has maintained that 11 victims were rescued following a joint security operation.

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

The police said the Divisional Police Officer in Ofu led a joint security team to the area after receiving a distress call.

Two abandoned vehicles, including a Peace Mass Transit white Hummer bus and a yellow 18-seater bus, were recovered before security personnel began a coordinated bush-combing operation.

The police spokesperson, Salisu Oyiza Afusat, said the operation resulted in the rescue of 11 abducted victims, including the drivers of the two buses.

She added that preliminary debriefing indicated that most of those rescued were NYSC members travelling from Bayelsa State to Abuja.

Following the rescue, the victims were debriefed and allowed to continue their journey after the necessary procedures had been completed.

The police said the security operation remained ongoing in the surrounding forest as personnel continued efforts to locate any remaining victims and apprehend the suspected kidnappers. 

The conflicting accounts have nevertheless increased pressure on authorities to provide a clear and verified update on the whereabouts of all the abducted corps members.

The FUNAAB SUG said it would continue to amplify the concerns of the affected families until there was clear confirmation that all victims had been accounted for and safely returned.

The incident has also renewed concerns over the security of corps members travelling between states, particularly those moving to and from their orientation camps and Places of Primary Assignment.

The students’ union urged relevant authorities to prioritise the safe recovery of anyone still in captivity and ensure that families receive timely and accurate information throughout the rescue operation.