Gunmen attack train station in Edo, injure scores, abduct many

The Edo State police public relations officer, Chidi Nwabuzor, confirmed in a statement that the incident happened on Saturday – January 7, 2023 – afternoon, about 4pm.

According to him, the travellers were waiting to board a train from the Igueben station to Warri in Delta state when, suddenly, the herdsmen stormed the station with AK 47 riffles and kidnapped many.

Nwabuzor said the abductors shot sporadically into the air as they made their way into the bush; many of the travellers sustained bullet wounds.

Scores of travellers were injured and many kidnapped as suspected herdsmen attacked a train station at the Igueben Local Government Area of Edo State.

“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,” Nwabuzor stated.

“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,” said the police.

This is the second attack on a train facility masterminded by the herdsmen, happening barely a year after the Abuja train incident which took place on March 28, 2022.

Recall that the Abuja-Kaduna train attack led to the abduction of 63 passengers while 14 were killed by the gunmen.