Edo train attack: Two more passengers rescued, as 11 still held

Two more passengers abducted at the Ekehen train station in Igueben local government area of Edo State have been rescued, with 11 now remaining with the abductors.

The two were reported rescued by a combined team of military, police, local vigilante and hunters.

State Commissioner for Communication and Orientation, Mr. Chris Nekhihare, who announced rescue of the two persons, disclosed that the operation to free the victims took place, Thursday morning, adding that the state government, in conjunction with the security agents, is ‘doing everything to ensure the remaining 11 are rescued.’

State Police Command PPRO, SP Chidi Nwabuzo also confirmed that two people were rescued in the early hours of Thursday, while also disclosing that the police officer who died during the rescue of President of the Customary Court died of natural cause and not from bullet wounds, as earlier speculated.

Mrs Precious Aigbonoga, the President of the Igueben Council Customary Court was abducted by gunmen on Monday. She was rescued, Thursday, but sustained gunshot injuries. However, a police officer involved in the rescue operation was reportedly killed in the process.

With the latest two rescued, only 11 victims now remain with the kidnappers who had stormed the Ekehen train station, also known as the Tom Ikimi Train Station in Igueben, Edo State, last Saturday, initially abducting 32 persons.

One passenger escaped from the kidnappers same day, leaving 31, along with a baby belonging to one of the abducted passengers that was abandoned in the bush.

Six more were rescued by a combined team of military, police and vigilante earlier in the week.

However, last Wednesday, the state government said Intelligence report revealed that only 20 were actually kidnapped and not 32, with seven already rescued and leaving 13 persons still in the kidnappers’ den.

Earlier, Monday, during a press briefing, in Benin City, Nehikhare had disclosed that the number of abducted passengers dropped to 25, following the rescue of a total of seven passengers and one baby, since their abduction, last Saturday.

“Two other suspects have been arrested for their involvement in the kidnapping in Edo Central as they were formerly declared wanted by the police.

“They are in custody helping the police with relevant information that will lead to the arrest of other members of the gang,” Nehikhare said.

“Six people have been rescued in the last 24 hours. Those who were rescued included a 65-year-old man; a nursing mother and her baby; a six-year-old girl and two siblings – a boy and a girl aged between two and five years old.

“These six persons have been rescued and our security forces have continued with the bush combing to arrest other fleeing members of the kidnap gang.

Those still believed to be in the attackers’ custody in the aftermath of the attack include; the train Station Manager, Godwin Okpe, the Head of Security, identified simply as Ikhayere, an Igueben community resident, Victor Osarobho, as well as, the Station Ticket Clerk, also identified as Akhere.

The state government had earlier, Sunday, confirmed the arrest of one suspect involved in the armed attack, last Saturday evening, by suspected herdsmen on the Ekehen Train Station, in the Igueben axis of the state, adding further that a baby belonging to one of the abducted passengers was also found in the bush abandoned by the attackers.

This is just as the Edo State Police Command confirmed that 32 passengers were abducted at the train station by the attackers during the violent attack, last Saturday.

The unidentified suspect arrested by the police is said to be the attackers’ chief negotiator, who was nabbed during an extensive bush combing ordered by the State Police Commissioner, Mohammed Dankwara.

“The suspect is helping the police with their investigation,” the state police commissioner, CP Dankwara said.

The police strike teams were drawn from Irrua Area command, Anti Kidnapping Squad, Crack team, Igueben Divisional Headquarters and some members of the Esan Vigilante Network called “Atanakpa”.

Also, a baby abducted along with its parents was dropped in a nearby bush. 

The kidnappers had reportedly called a family member to pick up the child while leading the parents into the forest.

Police said they recovered the phones of the abducted passengers on the suspect.

Meanwhile, the station’s operators, the Nigeria Railway Corporation (NRC) has already directed a shutdown of the Ekehen Train Station indefinitely.

Gunmen had stormed the train station, last Saturday evening, abducting an undisclosed number of passengers waiting to board a train from the Igueben station in Igueben Local Government Area of Edo State to Warri in Delta State, while many others sustained injuries.

The attack was later confirmed by Spokesperson for the Edo State Police Command, Chidi Nwabuzor, who said in a statement, that the attackers, armed with AK 47, invaded the train station and shot sporadically into the air before abducting scores of intending travellers into the bush.

Nwabuzor said that many of the passengers sustained bullet wounds, assuring that operatives were on the trail of the abductors with an aim to rescue those the kidnap victims herded into the bush.

“This is to inform the gentlemen of the press that on January 7, 2023, at about 1600hrs, an unspecified number of herdsmen armed with AK 47 riffles attacked the train station at Igueben, Edo State and kidnapped an unspecified number of passengers who were waiting to board the train to Warri.

“The kidnappers who shot sporadically into the air before kidnapping some passengers left some persons with bullet wounds. The Area Commander Irrua, DPO Igueben Division, and men have visited the scene of the crime with members of the Edo State Security Network, local vigilantes, and hunters with a view to protecting the lives and property of the remaining passengers.

“Bush combing operations have commenced in order to rescue the victims and arrest the fleeing kidnappers. Further developments will be communicated.”

It is yet unclear the exact number of casualties in the attack.