Edo State Govt: 20 Train Passengers Abducted, Not 32 as Reported

•Rescue operation intensifies for 13 victims

Adibe Emenyonu in Benin City

Edo State has said only 20 persons were kidnapped in the Saturday train abduction saga, and not 32 as previously reported.

It said with the rescue of seven hostages in the kidnappers’ den, only 13 persons are presently in custody of the abductors.

The State Commissioner for Communication and Orientation, Chris Nekhihare, who stated this yesterday, said the latest information was gotten from security intelligence.

According to him, “From intelligence report, the kidnappers only took 20 hostages as against 32 initially reported.”

Besides, the Edo State government’s spokesman, disclosed that in pursuant to this, the state deputy governor, Philip Shaibu, has met with Igueben community leaders, heads of security agencies to assure residents of measures to check crime

He quoted Shaibu as saying that the government was strengthening security to check crime and criminality, vowing that the Governor Godwin Obaseki-led administration would make the state unsafe for kidnappers and other criminal elements to thrive.

He said the deputy governor was joined at the meeting by other top government officials, including the Senator representing Edo Central Senatorial District, Senator. Clifford Ordia and the Speaker, Edo State House of Assembly, Marcus Onobun, where he called for calm among residents of Igueben LGA, urged members of the public to provide useful information that will aid rescue efforts by security agencies.

He noted that Shaibu informed the people of what government was doing to give morale boost to troops on ground and also review the security strategy, warning the people of the consequences of harbouring terrorists in their domain, while telling the royal father’s within the area to sit up because if government found out that they let out their facilities to be used by the kidnappers, such facilities will be seized.