Edo Train Attack: 6 People Rescued As Kidnappers Demand N20m For Each Victim 

The Edo State Government begs the media to refrain from sensational claims that can cause the victims’ relatives and friends even more emotional suffering.

By Omotayo Olutekunbi

Train passengers were abducted at a train station in the state of Edo, and the kidnappers have contacted the relatives of the victims to demand an N20 million ransom for each victim.

Gunmen attacked the railway station in Igueben, the state’s Igueben Local Government Area, on Saturday, January 7, 2023, and abducted 32 people who were waiting to board a train to Warri in Delta State.

The family was approached by the kidnappers on January 9, 2023, according to Daily Trust.

However, the Edo state Command spokesperson SP Chidi Nwanbuzor claimed he was unaware of the demand made by the kidnappers.

Meanwhile, security personnel working with hunters and vigilantes managed to save six of the victims, including three youngsters.

This was verified in a statement released on January 9, 2023, by Chris Nehikhare, the Edo State Commissioner for Communication and Orientation.

A 65-year-old man, a nursing mother, and her infant, a 6-year-old child, and two siblings, who are 2 and 5 years old, are among the released people, he says.

The statement reads in part: “Following the directive from Governor Godwin Obaseki that the kidnappers that attacked the train in Igueben on Saturday be smoked out of their hiding and the persons abducted be rescued, we are happy to announce that six (6) persons have been rescued.

“The six persons are a 65-year-old man, a nursing mother with her baby, a 6-year-old girl, and two siblings; aged two and five years old.

“We commend the efforts of the rescue team in the bushes and their support staff that have been working tirelessly since the incident occurred to ensure the kidnapped passengers are rescued and reunited with their families.

“We are confident that the other victims will be rescued soon as the highly motivated security personnel are in high spirits and have doubled down on the hot chase of the kidnappers.”

The commissioner also advised the media to stay away from sensational stories that can cause even more emotional suffering for the already traumatized friends and family of the victims.