A yet-to-be ascertained number of National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members have reportedly been kidnapped by unidentified gunmen in Emohua Local Government Area of Rivers State.

Kristina Reports learnt that the victims, who were on their way to Port Harcourt from the recent orientation camping exercise in Ondo State, were abducted around 9pm on Tuesday, May 16, 2023.

The incident was confirmed by a witness, who called a radio station in the city to announce the abduction of her sister-in-law and colleagues.

The witness said the corps members were abducted along the Rumuji axis of the East-West Road in Emohua, Rivers State.

Though the number of victims abducted by the kidnappers could not be ascertained at press time, five of the corps members were said to have escaped the abduction and reported at the Rumuji Divisional Police Station.

Meanwhile, the State Commissioner of Police, Okon Effiong, has deployed a police tactical team to track down the gunmen who abducted the NYSC members at Rumuji.

Spokesperson of the Rivers State Police Command, Grace Iringe-Koko, who disclosed this in Port Harcourt on Thursday, May 18, 2023, explained without giving specific figures that some of the corps members have been rescued and efforts are on to free those still with the kidnappers.

A security source and eyewitness, who preferred anonymity told newsmen that “those the police say they have rescued were lucky corps members, who escaped the kidnap.”

“What happened was that a group of corps members, who live in Rivers were on their way to Port Harcourt from the NYSC Camp in Ondo after passing through orientation in that state.”

“It happened on May 16. They likely had jointly hired the Port Harcourt bound bus. At Rumuji, about 9pm, on the East West Road, they were already in Rumuji when the bus was hijacked.”

“It is not clear how many persons were abducted but five of the travellers escaped and ran to the Rumuji Police Division to report the matter.”