The family of a newly discharged National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) member, Dapo, has made an urgent appeal to the Federal Government, Ogun and Oyo State Governments, and security agencies to secure the safe release of their son and nine other passengers abducted along the Ijebu-Ode, Ibadan Road.
​The incident occurred on Tuesday, November 3, 2026, at approximately 7:00 PM, shortly after the commercial bus carrying the passengers passed through Ijebu-Ode en route to Ibadan.
​Dapo was returning to Ibadan from Edo State, where he was posted for his one-year national service and had completed his Passing Out Parade (POP).
​According to a voice note shared by a fellow corps member who escaped the attack, the commercial bus was caught in traffic when the driver abruptly altered course into a bush path. Despite protests from the passengers, the driver continued into the forest, where armed attackers intercepted the vehicle with heavy gunfire, shooting one person and forcefully marching 10 passengers into the dense forest.
​The escaped corps member hid in the thickets until the bandits cleared out and subsequently alerted Dapo’s family on Wednesday, November 4, 2026.
​Speaking on behalf of the distressed family, Dapo’s sister, Abigail (also reported as Abigeal), recounted their visits to the Ijebu-Ode Police Station on Wednesday.
​”They used my brother’s phone to call us around past 7:00 PM. We just heard his voice saying, ‘Hello mummy.’ The kidnappers took over the phone and demanded ₦20 million. When we called back to beg, they raised the demand to ₦25 million and set a deadline for Thursday,” Abigail stated. “We don’t have ₦25 million to raise. We need the government and security operatives to help us rescue them.”
​Police officers and local vigilantes have since located and recovered the abandoned commercial bus, along with 12 pieces of luggage and six mobile phones, which are currently held at the station.
​When contacted, the Ogun State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Omolola Odutola (and command representative Babaseyi), acknowledged the abduction of travelers along the axis and confirmed that anti-kidnappers and local tactical teams were actively scouring the forest to rescue all hostages, while clarifying the ongoing verification of the victims’ professional identities.
