Train attacks, abductions worsen fear of insecurity in Edo

• Published date: 15 January 2023
• Publication title: Nigeria - The Nation

While the nation was still smarting from the deadly train attack that occurred in Kaduna State on March 28 last year during which several people were killed and many others were abducted by dare-devil gunmen, Nigerians woke up last Sunday to the shocking news of another gunmen attack on train passengers at the Tom Ikimi/Ekehen Train Station in Igueben, the headquarters of Igueben Local Government Area, Edo State.

The train station formerly known as Igueben-Ekehen Train Station was renamed by President Muhammadu Buhari after former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Chief Tom Ikimi, a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Some of the invading suspected herdsmen had invaded the train station at 4 pm using many vehicles while others got to the facility through bush paths, shooting sporadically to cause confusion as the prospective passengers were waiting to board a train to Warri in Delta State.

A press statement issued by the Public Relations Officer of the Edo State Police Command, Chidi Nwabuzor, a Superintendent of Police (SP), on January 7 had declared that suspected herdsmen were behind the invasion.

Nwabuzor maintained that unspecified number of intending travellers were seized and moved into the forest with many of the prospective passengers sustaining bullet wounds. He assured that bush combing and rescue operation had begun in order to safely rescue the travellers and arrest the fleeing kidnappers.

Nwabuzor stated that the police Area Commander at Irrua, also in Edo Central Senatorial District and the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) at Igueben in company with many policemen had visited the scene of the crime with members of Edo State Security Network, local vigilance members and hunters, with a view to protecting the lives and property of the remaining passengers.

Kidnappers have turned the Benin-Ekpoma-Auchi-Abuja Expressway into a no-go area, with huge ransoms being collected from families of victims almost on a daily basis. Since many victims have died in the dens of the criminals, travellers are now opting for the train which is now also targeted by kidnappers.

The security situation in the three senatorial districts of Edo State has been suspect with Edo Central and Edo North the worse hit in view of the presence of Edo State Government-owned Ambrose Alli University at Ekpoma and the federal government-owned Auchi Polytechnic, while Governor Godwin Obaseki appears to be helpless.

Obaseki, in his determination to redeem its administration's corporate image, mandated his deputy, Comrade Philip Shaibu, to coordinate the rescue operations, thereby practically relocating to Igueben where he was regularly meeting with the critical stakeholders, especially the security chiefs and leaders of the ancient community.

In order to show leadership, Shaibu, a former President of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), ex-lawmaker in Edo House of Assembly and former member of the House of Representatives, who is aspiring to be Edo's governor from November 12, 2024, saw the special responsibility from Obaseki, who has been accused of poor performance and unable to build on the solid foundation...