‘Govt Is Saddened By The Ugly Situation’ – FG Reacts To Edo Train Kidnap

The federal government of Nigeria has described the Saturday attack on the Tom Ikimi Train Station in Edo State as a sad development.

The government in a statement on Sunday by the Director of Press and Public Relations, Ministry of Transportation, Mr. Henshaw Ogubike however assured that efforts are already ongoing to rescue the abducted persons.

Naija News recalls gunmen kidnapped a yet-to-be-identified number of people from the train station in the Igueben Local Government Area of Edo State.

The victims were waiting to board a train to Warri in Delta State when the assailants stormed the station shooting sporadically.

The report said security operatives had been deployed to bushes around the area to rescue the victims and arrest the fleeing kidnappers.

Confirming the attack in a statement, the Police Public Relations Officer in Edo, Chidi Nwabuzor, explained that the abductors, armed with AK 47, invaded the train station on Saturday evening and began shooting into the air before abducting their victims, who were intending travellers.

On Sunday, the government assured that the kidnapped passengers would be rescued by security operatives.

”The Public is hereby reassured that the security agencies are making efforts to rescue the kidnapped train passengers.

”The Nigeria 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, ” Ogubike stated.

One Suspect Arrested

Meanwhile, the Edo State Government on Sunday confirmed that a suspect had been arrested in connection with the abduction of passengers at the train station in the Igueben Local Government Area of Edo State.

Naija News gathered that the Commissioner for Communication and Orientation in the state, Chris Nehikhare, stated this at a press conference on Sunday.

Nehikhare while addressing the press conference described the incident as the most trying for the state government.

The commissioner who disclosed that immediately after the abduction occurred, the state’s security apparatus swung into action, added that the efforts had yielded a result as one of the suspected kidnappers was arrested and was helping the police in unravelling the incident.