(DDM) — Nigerian troops under the Joint Task Force (JTF), Operation Hadin Kai, have successfully foiled an attempted abduction of seventy-four National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members by Boko Haram and ISWAP terrorists along the Buratai–Kamuya road in Borno State.
Diaspora Digital Media (DDM) gathered that the corps members, comprising thirty-six males and thirty-eight females, were travelling in three buses belonging to the Akwa Ibom Transport Company (AKTC) from Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, to Sokoto State when their vehicles broke down near a known insurgent hotspot late Tuesday night.
According to a statement released by the JTF Media Information Officer, Sani Uba, on Thursday, troops swiftly responded after a military CCTV surveillance system detected suspicious movement around the area.
“On arrival, troops discovered seventy-four NYSC members stranded after their vehicles developed mechanical faults. The soldiers immediately intervened to prevent a likely abduction attempt by Boko Haram or ISWAP elements operating nearby,” the statement said.
The rescued corps members were immediately escorted to Buratai Military Base for temporary shelter pending the arrangement of their onward movement to safety.
The JTF commended the troops’ quick response, noting that their vigilance averted what could have become another tragic national headline.
Security officials told DDM that the Buratai–Kamuya route has been notorious for terrorist ambushes, particularly targeting civilian convoys, aid workers, and unprotected transport vehicles.
This latest rescue comes just two years after a similar abduction in August 2023, when eight corps members travelling to the NYSC Orientation Camp in Zamfara State were kidnapped by suspected terrorists.
In that incident, the bus, also operated by Akwa Ibom Transport Company, was intercepted between Zamfara and Sokoto, and although three corps members escaped, eight others and the driver were taken hostage.
The victims included Emmanuel Esudue, a graduate of Agricultural and Environmental Engineering from Akwa Ibom State University, and Victoria Udoka, a Mass Communication graduate from the University of Uyo.
Military analysts have praised the troops for their proactive use of surveillance technology, describing the operation as a model for protecting civilian travellers in high-risk areas.
Meanwhile, the NYSC management has been advised to strengthen coordination with security agencies to ensure the safety of corps members travelling across volatile regions of the North-East.
The Nigerian Army reiterated its commitment to safeguarding citizens from terrorism and promised to continue patrols along major roads in Borno and neighbouring states to deter future attacks.
For now, the seventy-four rescued NYSC members remain under military protection, safe from what could have been one of the deadliest Boko Haram abductions in recent months.
