A retired police officer, a nursing mother and her baby, as well as two minors, have been rescued from the gunmen who attacked Igueben train station, in Igueben Local Government Area of Edo State.

Edo Train Station Attack

On Saturday morning, January 7, 2023, some gunmen attacked the train station in Igueben before abducting 32 passengers and taking them to a nearby forest.

According to Daily Trust, five victims were rescued by a combined team of security agents including the local vigilante and hunters.

It was also learnt that one of the kidnappers had been arrested by security operatives.

“Five persons have been rescued so far. The kidnappers were forced to release the minors who they felt couldn’t move fast due to the intensity of the security operatives, especially the hunters who were in the bush,” a source disclosed.

Edo police spokesperson, SP Chidi Nwanbuzor, who also confirmed the rescue of the victims, said it was made possible in collaboration with other security agencies.

“Among the rescued victims by the security operatives were a retired police officer, a lady with a one-year-old child, a boy and a girl of three and six years old respectively but the whereabouts of their parents is yet unknown,” he said.

He added that the police with other security agencies, the Edo state Security Network, vigilantes and hunters are still combing the bush to rescue the victim unhurt and further arrest the perpetrators.

However, a resident who pleaded anonymity faulted the claims that some victims were rescued, noting that it was the abductors that released them.

“We heard that the abductors dropped the children at a filling station and called their relatives to pick them up. How can you call that rescue?

“It is shameful that the security operatives were not alive to their responsibilities before the attack, especially after the Abuja-Kaduna train attack.

“This area is too deserted with no security measure in place but now, all the top brass of security formations in the state are at the station as if that will bring back the victims,” he queried.

KanyiDaily recalls that the Nigeria Railway Corporation (NRC) announced the closure of Ekehen Station in Edo till further notice.