By Steve Agbota
The Federal Government through the Federal Ministry of Transportation has condemned the despicable and utterly barbaric kidnapping of passengers by suspected herdsmen at the Tom Ikimi Train Station Igueben Edo State.
In a press statement signed by Director of Press and Public Relations at the Ministry, Henshaw Ogubike,
reassured that the security agencies are making efforts to rescue the kidnapped train passengers.
“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. Further details will be communicated later,” she said.
The Edo State Police Command had announced on Saturday that an unspecified number of travellers waiting to board a train from Igueben in Igueben Local Government Area of the state to Warri in Delta State, were kidnapped by suspected herdsmen.
The command, in a press statement signed by its spokesman, Chidi Nwabuzor, stated that the incident happened at about 4.00pm.
According to the statement, the suspected herdsmen, who were armed with AK-47 rifles, invaded the train station and shot sporadically into the air before herding an unspecified number of intending travellers into the bush.
The statement added that in the process, some of the passengers sustained bullet wounds, just as the police disclosed that bush combing and rescue operations had begun to rescue those that were kidnapped.
“The kidnappers who shot sporadically into the air before kidnapping some passengers left some persons with bullet wounds. The Area Commander, Irrua; the DPO (Divisional Police Officer) Igueben Division, and their men have visited the scene of crime with members of Edo State Security Network, local vigilante, 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 development will be communicated,” the statement explained.
