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Edo Train Attack: Retired police officer, nursing mother, 3 others ‘rescued’

Published

1 year ago

January 9, 2023

A retired police officer, a nursing mother and her baby, as well as two minors, have been rescued from among the 32 passengers abducted from Igueben train station, in Igueben Local Government Area of Edo State.

The victims were waiting to board a train to Warri in Delta State when they were abducted Saturday afternoon by gunmen.

Daily Trust gathered that the victims were rescued by a combined team of security agents including the local vigilante and hunters. It was also learnt that one of the kidnappers had been arrested by security operatives.

“Five persons have been rescued so far. The kidnappers were forced to release the minors who they felt couldn’t move fast due to the intensity of the security operatives, especially the hunters who were in the bush,” a source disclosed.

The spokesperson of the Edo State Police Command, SP Chidi Nwanbuzor, who also confirmed the rescue of the victims, said it was made possible in collaboration with other security agencies.

“Among the rescued victims by the security operatives were a retired police officer, a lady with a one-year-old child, a boy and a girl of three and six years old respectively but the whereabouts of their parents is yet unknown,” he said.

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He added that the police with other security agencies, the Edo state Security Network, vigilantes and hunters are still combing the bush to rescue the victim unhurt and further arrest the perpetrators.

However, a resident who pleaded anonymity faulted the claims that some victims were rescued, noting that it was the abductors that released them.

“We heard that the abductors dropped the children at a filling station and called their relatives to pick them up. How can you call that rescue? It is shameful that the security operatives were not alive to their responsibilities before the attack, especially after the Abuja-Kaduna train attack. This area is too deserted with no security measure in place but now, all the top brass of security formations in the state are at the station as if that will bring back the victims,” he queried.

How station manager, passengers were abducted

Daily Trust gathered that the area where the incident took place is one of the flashpoints for criminal activities in the state.

It was learnt that the abducted victims included the station manager, ticket clerk and other staff of Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) as well as passengers waiting to board the train at 5pm.

The abductors, it was gathered, struck about 20 minutes before the time when the train was expected to pick up passengers and depart the station.

“This place (the train station) is in a bush. It is the station that has opened up the area. The abductors emerged from the bush, shooting sporadically before abducting their victims. There was no resistance because there is no security presence in the area. They took their time to march out their victims,” noted a resident of the area, Abilo Jeremiah.

Kidnapper arrested

Meanwhile, Edo State Commissioner for Communications and Orientation, Chris Nehikhare, said that security operatives had arrested one of the suspected kidnappers.

“After 32 persons were kidnapped, the police, vigilante, and local hunters swung into action, combing the bushes around the vicinity. One of the kidnapped victims was able to escape.

“The Edo State Deputy Governor, Philip Shaibu, has visited the scene of the attack for on-the-spot assessment and was told that one of the suspects was arrested and he has been helping the police with the investigation to arrest other fleeing members of the kidnapping gang,” he said during a press briefing in Benin, the state capital.

The attack came about nine months after bandits attacked an Abuja-Kaduna train, gunned down some passengers and abducted more than 60 others, who were released after ransom payment.

The attack led to the suspension of train service on the route.

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Service only resumed on December 5 after the remaining passengers were released.

Train service won’t be disrupted – NRC

Meanwhile, the Managing Director of the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC), Fidet Okhiria, has said the attack will not affect the Itapkpe-Warri train service.

He told our correspondent on the phone that the train service would continue but that additional security measures would be introduced.

Okhiria also clarified that there was no attack on the train but only the station was attacked.

One of our correspondents learnt that the Minister of Transportation, Mua’zu Sambo, had visited the affected train station in the early hours of Sunday.

A statement later issued by the Director, Press and Public Relations of the ministry, Henshaw Ogubike, said the federal government was making efforts to free the passengers.

“The public is hereby reassured that the security agencies are making efforts to rescue the kidnapped train passengers. The Nigerian Police are on the trail of the criminals and have mobilised with a view to protecting the lives and property of the remaining passengers,” the statement read.

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Terrorists kill eight vigilantes in Kaduna community, abduct two village heads

Published

13 hours ago

May 3, 2024

Trends Admin

Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) of Kaduna State Police Command, ASP Mansir Hassan,

Terrorists kill eight vigilantes in Kaduna community, abduct two village heads

Eight vigilante members and two others have been killed by terrorists at Kakangi and Unguwan Matinja communities in the Birnin Gwari Local Government Area of Kaduna State.

The local leaders of Kakangi and Kisaya villages in Kakangi Ward were also abducted.

A resident of the LG, Idris Khalid, confirmed the event, saying the gun-wielding men invaded the villages early Thursday.

Bala Kamba, Abdurrahman Musa (Ubale), Kabiru Dan Dugui, Hambali Abu, Aliyu Abu, Nura Jika (Maleka), Mubarak Musa (Dan Wamba), and Ikra Hantsi were the eight vigilante members killed at Kakangi.

Khalid also revealed that the two victims in the Ungwan Matinja neighbourhood of Gayam Ward were Christopher Abubakar and Isah Gambo.

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He claimed the vigilantes were attacked while tracking down the kidnapped victims, who were abducted on their way to a funeral between Kakangi and Sabon Layi.

“The vigilantes engaged the terrorists, killing scores of them, but could not rescue the two traditional rulers and others.

“Normally, anytime there is a kidnapping incident, the vigilantes always trail the terrorists to rescue the victims.

“It’s unfortunate that in the process, eight gallant officers of the vigilantes who have been sacrificing to ensure the safety of our people were lost,” the resident said.

When contacted, the State Police Command’s Public Relations Officer, ASP Mansir Hassan, stated, “We are investigating the matter to determine the true story because the area where the incident occurred had a network problem.”

Terrorists kill eight vigilantes in Kaduna community, abduct two village heads

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Repentant Boko Haram members burn NDLEA, Customs checkpoints in Borno

Published

21 hours ago

May 3, 2024

Trends Admin

Repentant Boko Haram members burn NDLEA, Customs checkpoints in Borno

A group of suspected repentant Boko Haram insurgents, on Wednesday stormed the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and the Nigeria Customs Service checkpoints at Kasuwan Fara, a suburb of Maiduguri metropolis, chasing away the personnel on duty and setting ablaze all structures at the checkpoints.

The incident, according to security analyst and counter insurgency expert, Zagazola Makama, followed a fierce encounter between the former Boko Haram combatants and the police at the Kasuwan Fara Divisional Police Office.

The suspected repentant insurgents, reportedly wearing military uniform, had pounced on the police office to forcefully set free their eight colleagues arrested at the suburb over criminal activities bordering on dealing in hard drugs.

The arrest was made on April 24 during a raid carried out by the police on the notorious spot at the criminals-ridden Kasuwan Fara.

“Due to the rise and persistence of criminal activities and sinister operations by drug peddlers comprising dismissed military personnel, repentant insurgents and other hoodlums, who assemble there to conduct nefarious activities, the area had since been earmarked for closure by Borno State Government.

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“The April 24 raid, where the eight suspected repentant insurgents were arrested and 426 bottles of spirits such as dry gin confiscated, was conducted to sanitize the area, pending the final closure.

“The arrested persons were detained at the Kasuwan Fara police division since the day of their arrest.

” Subsequently, at about 7:40 am of Thursday, May 2, a dozen of the suspected repentant insurgents in military uniform, stormed the Kasuwan Fara police station in an attempt to rescue their arrested fellows.

” The Divisional Police Officer alongside his men were able to repel the attack while the perpetrators fled.

” Consequently, the assailants, in an apparent transfer of aggression, reverted to attacking NDLEA and NCS personnel checkpoint along the Maiduguri-Gubio road Kasuwan Fara, where they burnt down the checkpoints alongside the sandbags heaped on the road and fled the scene, ” Zagazola Makama said.

Borno Police Command spokesman, ASP Kenneth Daso, who confirmed the incident, said investigations were ongoing to apprehend the attackers, adding that the arrested eight suspects have been handed over to relevant security quarters.

Repentant Boko Haram members burn NDLEA, Customs checkpoints in Borno

metro

Police identify officer who shot man dead at fuel station

Published

21 hours ago

May 3, 2024

Trends Admin

Police identify officer who shot man dead at fuel station

The Police Command in Lagos State has identified the officer who allegedly shot a man dead at a filling station in the Obalende area of the state.

The command’s spokesperson, SP Benjamin Hundeyin, confirmed the development in a post he shared on his verified X handle@ben Hundeyin on Thursday.

He said that the officer had been identified.

“The person behind the shooting has been identified as a police officer serving at Special Protection Unit (SPU) Base 17, Lion Building, Lagos.

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“Investigation is still ongoing and further findings will be made available, ” he said.

According to Hundeyin, the State Commissioner of Police, CP Adegoke Fayoade is working with the family of the deceased to ensure that there is no miscarriage of justice.

It could be recalled that the deceased, Toheeb Eniasa, was shot dead by a policemam on Wednesday while struggled to buy fuel.

It was learnt that two officers drove into the station to purchase fuel but motorists asked them to join the queue.

In the process, an argument ensured which resulited into a fight and one of the officers shot Eniasa and ran away.