Edo train attack: Two more suspects arrested, as abducted passengers drop to 25 from 32

Two more suspects allegedly linked to last Saturday’s terrorists’ attack on the Ekehen Train Station, in Igueben Local Government Area of Edo State, have been arrested by the police.

The latest two arrested adds to the one earlier nabbed by the State Police Command, on Saturday for involvement in the violent attack which left many injured with an original 32 passengers abducted.

One passenger had escaped from the gunmen, Saturday, while a baby belonging to one of the abducted train passengers was recovered the following day by a combined team of police, vigilante and military operatives dispatched to the forest to track down the attackers

Making the disclosure, Monday, during a press briefing, in Benin City, the Edo State Commissioner for Communication and Orientation, Mr Chris Nehikhare, also disclosed that the number of abducted passengers has 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.

The commissioner who had during the briefing informed that six more of the 31 victims abducted at the Ekehen train station have been rescued, said the two suspects were on the wanted list of the police, adding that further investigation is on to determine the suspects’ culpability in the kidnap incident.

“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.

The action follows last Saturday evening’s attack on the facility by gunmen believed to herdsmen, who stormed the terminus and abducted some passengers, while injuring others in the attack.

This is also as the Federal Government has condemned the kidnapping of passengers at the Tom Ikimi Train Station in Igueben, also known as the Ekehen Train Station.

According to the NRC, the decision became necessary following rising security challenges.

A public announcement sent out separately by the NRC posted on the passengers’ WhatsApp Group further explained that the closure was ‘till further notice.’

“Public Announcement: This is to inform our general public and most especially our esteemed passengers, that Ekehen Station has been temporarily closed due to security issues, till further notice.”

Another notice read: “Due to the incident at Ekehen station on Saturday, WITS 01/ 02 will no longer stop at Ekehen Station. Please advise our customers.”

It would be recalled that the terrorists had stormed the train station, 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.

Meanwhile, a Ministry of Transportation statement through its Director, Press & Public Relations, Mr. Henshaw Ogubike, Sunday, however, ‘reassured that the security agencies are making efforts to rescue the kidnapped train passengers.’

It said the Nigerian Police is on the trail of the criminals and have mobilised with a view to protecting the lives and property of the remaining passengers.

“The Government is saddened by this unpleasant development and assures on its prompt response to the ugly situation,” the statement added.

The number of victims is still unspecified.

The attack comes barely one year after Islamist terrorists has attacked an Abuja-Kaduna train shuttle on March 28, last year, abducting nearly 70 passengers, even as 17 persons were confirmed to have died from gunshot injuries sustained from the attack.

That attack led to the shutdown of the shuttle service for many month until its reopening by the NRC in December, last year.