…Two children released, one woman escaped

…Station located in the bush without security

An official of Igueben Local Government Area of Edo State, has revealed that over 30 persons  at Ekehen Station waiting to travel to Warri, Delta State, were kidnapped on Saturday evening.

The LGA Liaison Officer, Best Oseh, who spoke on the development, disclosed that efforts were made by security agencies to rescue the victims.

Oseh said the rescue teams included the police, vigilante and other paramilitary organisations, who all were combing the bush to rescue the kidnapped passengers from their abductors.

“As I speak, people are in the field all over the place, vigilante, security agencies and other people, everybody is concerned but we have to be careful with what we divulge so that we won’t jeopardize the processes we are doing.

“As for the category of people kidnapped, some of them are from Igueben while others are passengers from other places and as for the number for now we are looking at over 30 but we can only give comprehensive number when preliminary investigations are concluded”, Oseh said.

Also speaking on the development, a resident from the area, who identified himself as Comrade Odia Benson, said the abductors released two kids who were with them, while a woman reportedly escaped.

Odia listed the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) station manager and the ticket clerk as among those who were abducted.

“The train normally arrives by 5 pm so at about 20 minutes to 5 pm, bandits just came through the bush part and invaded the place, they took away the station manager, took away the booking clerk and about 29 other passengers made up of males and females.

“As I speak with you, the Deputy Governor left the place about an hour ago, the Commissioner of Police and his men are here, the 4 Brigade Nigerian Army Commander is here, the Director of the Department of State Services (DSS) is here and many paramilitary representatives; the DPO Igueben and his men, the Esan Akatakpa Security network, the hunters association have been in the forest since last night doing bush combing. We are hoping that by the end of today, they will be rescued

“The railway station is in the forest, there is no security, no police, no vigilante and they are at the mercy of God. The station is in Igueben town, just about 1.2 km away from Igueben General Hospital.

“I think about only three of the victims are from Igueben; one of them is from Ward 8, we had another who is married to an Igueben man but based in Warri while others are from Ekpoma, from Uromi, Ubiaja, some are not even from Edo State.

“The kidnappers released two children, it is believed that they felt the children will slow down their movements. They dropped them in an abandoned petrol station, they called the family of the mother of the children that they should go and pick the children from the place they dropped them.

One woman also escaped with her little baby. The woman escaped and found herself in Opoji which in Esan Central local government area”, Odia volunteered.

The Nigeria Railway Corporation has closed down Ekehen Station in Edo State till further notice.

The NRC made the announcement on Sunday. This is coming less than 24 hours after the attack on the rail station.

The railway corporation said the decision became necessary following rising security challenges.

-Tribune Online