Scores of passengers were on Saturday evening kidnapped at a train station in Igueben, Igueben Local Government Area of Edo State.
According to available information, the passengers were waiting to board a train from Igueben to Warri in Delta State when the gunmen, said to be herdsmen, struck.
The spokesman of the Edo State Police Command, Chidi Nwabuzor, confirmed the development in a statement on Saturday night.
Nwabuzor, a Superintendent of Police, said in the statement: “This is to inform the gentlemen of the press that today, 7th of January, 2023 at about 1600hrs, unspecified number of herdsmen armed with AK 47 riffles 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 vigilantes, and hunters with a view to protecting the lives and property of the remaining passengers.
“Bush combing operations have commenced in order to rescue the victims and arrest the fleeing kidnappers. Further developments will be communicated.”
The Eagle Online recalls that gunmen had on March 28, 2022 attacked a Kaduna bound train from Abuja, killing some and abducting many others.
Millions of naira was paid as ransom for the abducted passengers.