The federal government, presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mr. Atiku Abubakar and his running mate, Dr Ifeanyi Okowa, have condemned Saturday’s attack on a passenger train in Igueben, Edo State in which 31 passengers were abducted.
Igueben is the headquarters of Igueben local government where the former minister of foreign affairs, Mr. Tom Ikimi fails.
The station which was formerly Igueben – Ekehen train station, was re-named Tom Ikimi/Ekehen station in 2020 by President Muhammadu Buhari.
The attack occurred 10 months after terrorist attacked the Abuja-Kaduna train service on March 28, 2022 killing 14 passengers and abducting 65 others.
The captives were released in batches after spending months in captivity and paying ransoms running into billions of naira.
According to a statement by the Edo State police command, the attack was executed by a gang of AK47-wielding herdsmen.
“This is to inform the gentlemen of the press that today, January 7, 2023, at about 1600hrs, unspecified number of herdsmen armed with AK 47 rifles attacked the train station at Igueben, Edo State and kidnapped unspecified number of passengers who were waiting to board the train to Warri.
“The kidnappers, who shot sporadically into the air before kidnapping some passengers, left some persons with bullet wounds.
“The Area Commander Irrua, DPO Igueben Division, and men have visited the scene of crime with members of the Edo State Security Network, local vigilante and hunters with a view to protecting the life and property of the remaining passengers.
“Bush combing operations have commenced to rescue the victims and arrest the fleeing kidnappers. Further development will be communicated.” Giving further clarification on the incident, yesterday, Edo State Commissioner for Communications and Orientation, Chris Nehikhare, said security operatives arrested one of the suspected kidnappers,” spokesman for the command, Mr. Chidi Nwabuzor said in the statement.
Reacting to the incident, the federal government described it as despicable and utterly barbaric.
Spokesman for the ministry of transportation, Mr. Henshaw Ogubike, who spoke on behalf of the government in a statement, however assured that the security agencies were making efforts to rescue the kidnapped 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.
Also reacting, Atiku has expressed worries over the attack saying it “is the latest in a long condemnable line of security breaches previously unseen in our national history.”
Atiku, while condoling with victims of the attack and their families, said: “The thoughts of my family and I are with the abducted and their families as we pray for their safe return.”
“While we pray, it is important to also point out that this serves as the latest reminder on the urgent need to reform our security architecture to better safeguard the lives and properties of the Nigerian citizens.”
The PDP presidential candidate stated that the security apparatus must pay greater attention to intelligence gathering and crime prevention than the current reactive approach.
“It is unacceptable for terrorists to plan attacks of this nature, mobilise arms and ammunition, secure funding and move large numbers of people across large spaces without detection by the security agencies,” Atiku said.
He urged the use of technology towards tracking the terrorists and “degrading their existing capacity to attack our people across the country.”
The PDP presidential candidate also advocated “applying diplomatic pressures needed to stem the free flow of light arms and assault weapons across the West African sub-region and through our borders.
“By doing this we will severely restrict the capacity for terrorists to re-arm themselves to execute attacks.”
Atiku said the policy proposals should be followed by “greatly reducing the numbers of out of school children on our streets and improving the economy to create jobs for vast numbers of unemployed Nigerians, thereby reducing the pool from which these terrorists recruit people for their nefarious activities.”
“I believe these actions will go a long way towards reducing incidents of insecurity and providing the secure environment needed for economic growth,” he said.
Atiku stated that he would commit to implementing those initiatives if Nigerians trusted him with their mandate to become the next president.
Furthermore, the PDP presidential candidate advocated “applying diplomatic pressures needed to stem the free flow of light arms and assault weapons across the West African sub-region and through our borders.
He further stated, “By doing this, we will severely restrict the capacity for terrorists to re-arm themselves to execute attacks.”
For his part, Okowa who is also the governor of Delta State described the incident as “very sad and unfortunate.”
“As a country we must be deeply concerned about the activities of armed groups and non-state actors trying to destabilise our nation.
“With the general elections a few weeks away, this dastardly act is not just worrisome but condemnable, and we urge security agencies to quickly track and apprehend the gunmen and rescue the victims.
“On behalf of the government and people of Delta, I sympathise with the authorities of the Nigerian Railway Corporation and families of the kidnapped intending passengers at the train station.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with their families at this difficult time and we pray for the early return of the victims to reunite with their families,” Okowa said in a statement by his spokesman, Mr. Olisa Ifeajika
Meanwhile, the Edo State commissioner for communication and orientation, Chris Nehikhare, said the terrorists freed two children during the attack but went away with their mother.
Nehikhare added that one of the abducted passengers escaped while the police arrested one of the kidnappers.
“The kidnap is the most difficult occurrence in the state currently. Few armed men who came with vehicles at about 4pm on Saturday.
“A few armed men kidnapped 32 people at the Igueben train station. 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…
“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.
Meanwhile, the managing director, Nigeria Railway Corporation, Mr. Fidet Okhiria, said the attack would not affect the Itapkpe-Warri train service.
Okhiria told journalists that additional security measures would be deployed.
“This is to inform the general public and most especially our esteemed passengers that Ekehen Station would be closed down till further notice due to security issues.
“Recall that it was earlier reported that the Edo State Police command said that scores of passengers waiting to board a train from the Igueben station in Igueben Local Government Area of Edo State to Warri in Delta State were kidnapped after an attack by some suspected herdsmen,” the NRC stated on a whatsapp platform
The corporation appealed to passengers for understanding as it assured of the readiness of security agencies to tackle the security challenges.
