This was disclosed in a statement by the Media Information Officer of OPHK, Lt.-Col. Sani Uba, on Thursday.
According to the statement, the corps members — 36 males and 38 females — were travelling in three buses when their vehicles developed mechanical faults near a known kidnapping hotspot around 9:05 p.m. on Tuesday.
Uba said troops were quickly dispatched to the area after CCTV surveillance monitored by the military detected unusual movements around the stranded vehicles.
“On arrival, the troops discovered that the passengers were NYSC members who had been stranded after their vehicles developed mechanical faults,” Uba explained.
“The troops immediately secured the area and rescued them from a likely abduction attempt by Boko Haram or ISWAP terrorists operating in that axis,” he added.
The rescued corps members were later taken to the Buratai military base for safety while arrangements were made for their onward movement to their various destinations.
The Theatre Commander of OPHK, Maj.-Gen. Abdulsalam Abubakar, commended the troops for their swift and tactical response, stressing that their vigilance averted a potential national tragedy.
He reaffirmed the Nigerian military’s commitment to safeguarding citizens and maintaining security across the North-East region.
