Two railway workers who were abducted from the Igueben train station in Edo State,
are still being held by their kidnappers.
The abductors fled with the two when security operatives raided their hideout.
Edo state police command on Sunday said that additional 12 persons were rescued,
bringing the total number of freed victims to 18.
20 passengers were abducted during the Igueben train attack.
Commissioner of police in Edo state, Mohammed Dankwara who spoke to journalists in Benin City, said the remaining two captives are staff of the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC).
Dankwara explained that following an intelligence report, the joint security team was able to rescue the 12 captives at
Ugboha forest in Esan South East local government area of the state.
The 12 rescued, comprising eight females and four males are :
“Eunice Eseba (f), 56; Marian Mowoe (F), 28; Faith Smart (f), 42; Precious Egwuje (f), 28; Obehi Omaben (f), 39; Amm Benson (f), 42; Favour Akungo (f),18; Aguele Beatrice (f), 42; Akhimien Ehiemamen (M), 48; Christian Iyere (m), 33; Emmanuel Esieba (m), 67 and Iyoha Julius (m), 25”.
Governor Obaseki's visit.
Meanwhile, Edo state governor, Godwin Obaseki has visited the 12 rescued kidnap victims at the Police Cottage Hospital in Benin City, where they were taken for medical care and rehabilitation after their rescue.
He disclosed that some of the abductors have been detained and are helping the security team to search for their colleagues.
The Governor frowned at the failure of the authorities of the Railway Corporation to improve security conditions at the various train stations after the Kaduna train passengers attack of 2022.
“After the Kaduna incident, you would have expected that they would secure their facility better; and for gunmen to have come into their facilities and kidnapped people is something that has to be investigated as it doesn’t give confidence to the people that they would be safe using their facilities,” he said.
Obaseki also blamed traditional rulers in the area for disregarding the government's directive not to allow cattle herders to graze in their forests.
“I have instructed that the matter should be investigated and anyone found to be harboring people they should not harbor in their domain would have questions to answer. We don’t have this incident in communities that have cooperated with us on the directive”, he added.
The Governor, however, commended the rescue team made up of various security agencies in the state, hunters, and members of the Edo State Security Network, for the success recorded and
assured that the government will do all in its power to secure the release of the two remaining hostages.
Terrorism.
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