Police Launch Manhunt As Gunmen Kidnap Corps Members In Rivers

Police in Rivers State deployed tactical search and rescue team over abduction of National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, members in the state.

It was learnt gunmen kidnapped unspecific number of corps members in Emohua Local Government Area of Rivers State around 9 p.m. on Tuesday.

According to reports, the victims were on their way back from the recent orientation camping exercise in Ondo State before they were abducted.

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 on the Rumuji axis of the East-West Road in Emohua, Rivers State.

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 gunmen who abducted the NYSC members at Rumuji.

Rivers Police Command’s spokesperson, Grace Iringe-Koko, who disclosed the CP’s order in Port Harcourt, yesterday, explained that some of the corps members have been rescued and efforts are on to free those still with the kidnappers.

However, a security source and eye witnesse confided in newsmen saying: “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 9p.m., 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.”