Edo government rescues six abducted train passengers

Six more of the 31 people who were abducted last Saturday at the Tom Ikimi Train Station in Igueben, Igueben Local Government Area of the state, according to information, have been rescued by the Edo State Government yesterday.

This occurred right after Benson Odia, the executive director of Esan Youth for Good Governance and Social Justice, said yesterday that several families of the purported abduction victims had been contacted by the alleged kidnappers, who demanded N20 million for each victim.

Odia criticized the request as ludicrous and urged the authorities to step up efforts to free the 31 missing people who are still being held hostage by their kidnappers.

He added that the Nigeria Railway Corporation's president and the minister of transportation were both in Igueben to inspect the situation firsthand.

The families of the deceased, however, have been reassured by Governor Godwin Obaseki that other rail passengers would soon be released.

Seven members of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) were reportedly slain in a bandit ambush in Birnin Gwari LGA, Kaduna State, yesterday, as the level of insecurity in the nation continued to rise.

During a media briefing, the Edo State Commissioner for Communication and Orientation, Mr. Chris Nekhihare, made this announcement and provided an update on the efforts being made by the government and security agencies to ensure the release of all victims and the capture of those responsible for the kidnapping.

A 65-year-old man, a woman and her child, two siblings, and another person were among those saved, according to Nekhihare, who also noted that two other gunmen responsible for the train station attack have been detained.

Insisting that "operation bush combing" was still ongoing and promising that nothing would be left to chance, he urged the people of Edo to exercise caution.

“A large portion of the forest is being combed. We call on Edo people to be vigilant. If you see something, say something,” Nekhihare stated.

He also said: “Our Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, spoke with me this morning to share the latest information on the efforts being made by the military, police and personnel drawn from other security agencies, including the vigilante and hunters who know the bushes like their backyards to ensure the kidnapped passengers are released soon.

“The governor has provided the needed logistic support of the various security agencies that are combing the bushes, small settlements, forests and everywhere around the place of the incident to smoke out the kidnappers.

Source