The Edo State Government has said that a suspect has been arrested in connection with the abduction of train passengers at Igueben by suspected herdsmen.
The State Commissioner for Communication and Orientation, Chris Osa Nehikhare, made the disclosure during a press conference in Benin on Sunday.
Nehikhare said that the arrested suspect is helping the police in the ongoing investigation and efforts to free the victims.
The Commissioner described the incident as most trying for the State Government.
“Yesterday is no doubt one of the most trying day so far in the new year for us as a government. A few armed men kidnapped 32 people at the Igueben train station. The deputy governor, Comrade Philip Shaibu, has visited the train station for on the spot assessment of the situation.
The abductors, some of whom came by vehicles and the others by the bush paths,escaped into the bush with the victims.
“Immediately the news filtered in, the police in the area, local vigilante and hunters swung into action and bush combing began to rescue the victims.
‘Information at our disposal is to the effect that of the 32 people kidnapped, one escaped and we have 31 others with the kidnappers.
“The good news for us as a government is that one of the kidnappers has been arrested and he is helping the police to unravel the whole thing.
“The state government under the leadership of Governor Godwin Obaseki wants to commend the swiftness with which the police swung into action. We also want to commend the Edo State Vigilante Group and the local hunters in the area for their efforts so far at rescuing the remaining victims.
“As a government, we hope too that this will be the last time we will have daring people invading our train stations, and particularly,any part of Edo State, as we will make such daring elements uncomfortable and secure our state.
“We want to assure the security agencies and the local hunters and vigilante that the Edo State Government will continue to support them as efforts are being made to rescue the remaining 31 victims.” He said
Suspected armed herdsmen had invaded the train station in Igueben, headquarters of Igueben Local Government Area of Edo State and kidnapped 32 passengers waiting to board train to Warri, Delta State.
A statement by Edo State Police Command Police Public Relations Officer, SP Chidi Nwabuzor, on Saturday night said the suspected herdsmen invaded the train station, shot sporadically into the air with AK-47 before kidnapping unspecified number of persons while some were left with bullet injuries.
The Network gathered that the train station manager, Godwin Okpe, the Head of Security, identified simply as Ikhayere, an Igueben community resident, Victor Osarobho and the station ticket clerk, also identified as Akhere are among those abducted.
