The Police in Edo State say no fewer than 30 passengers and staff of the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) were abducted by gunmen at the Igueben train sub-station in Edo State on Saturday evening.
Scores of travellers waiting to board a train from Igueben in Igueben Local Government Area of the state to Warri in Delta State, were kidnapped by suspected herdsmen.
In a statement by its spokesman, Chidi Nwabuzor, the Command said that the incident happened at about 4.00pm Saturday.
It said that the suspected herdsmen, who were armed with AK 47 rifles, invaded the train station and shot sporadically into the air before herding unspecified number of intending travellers into the bush.
In the process, the statement said some of the passengers sustained bullet wounds, adding that bush combing and rescue operation had begun.
Also speaking on the development Sunday, the Liaison Officer to Igueben Local Government Area, Best Oseh, said ” vigilante, security agencies and other people ‘are in the field to rescue the victims and arrest those responsible for the horrible act.
Oseh said about thirty passengers comprising indigenes and people from other parts were kidnapped but said the actual number would be made available when investigations are concluded.
“As for the category of people kidnapped, some of them are from Igueben, while others are passengers from other places and as for the number for now, we are looking at over 30 but we can only give comprehensive number when preliminary investigations are concluded.”
Current Matters investigation further revealed that some staff of the Nigeria Railway Authority including the Station Manager and the Ticket clerk were also among victims of the train attack.
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