Two more victims who were abducted by gunmen during the Edo train attack in the Igueben Local Government Area of the state have been rescued by a joint team of the military, police, local vigilantes and hunters.
Last Saturday, 32 persons, including two workers at the train station, were abducted while waiting to board a train by bandits who invaded the station with sophisticated weapons.
On Wednesday, the state government said that an intelligence report revealed that only 20 were kidnapped, while seven had been rescued leaving 13 persons still in the kidnappers’ den.
Edo State Commissioner for Communication and Orientation, Chris Nekhihare, who announced the rescue of two more persons, leaving 11 with the kidnappers, said the rescue took place Thursday morning, adding that the state government in conjunction with the security agents were doing everything to ensure the remaining 11 were rescued.
On the rescued magistrate, M Precious Aigbona, Nekhihare said, “Aigbonoga was rescued but unfortunately, one of the policemen, DSP Michael Adams, involved in the rescued operation died of natural causes after the operation. He wasn’t felled by a bullet.
“Also the state deputy governor and directors of all the security agents have paid a condolence visit to the widow and children of the deceased.”
The PPRO of the state police command, SP Chidi Nwabuzo, also confirmed that two people were rescued in the early hours of Thursday.
Meanwhile, speaking during a visit to the widow of the deceased, the Deputy Governor, Philip Shaibu, who led other top government functionaries and security officers said, “All the heads of security agencies are here. We are grieving. He left a family behind and we have to come and commiserate with them and also join them in this dark moment.
“The loss is not for the family alone but for all of us because when we lose gallant men like this, then it’s a major problem for us because we need a lot of these gallant officers alive to tackle insecurity,” he said.
“Spending over five days in the bush and rescuing victims alive is not common. Such an officer obviously deserves a posthumous medal.
“The officer and other men have been in the bush. They are rescuing victims and more of these victims are being rescued. Apart from the magistrate, two more persons have been rescued. Their effort is really yielding results and I must commend them for what they have been doing.”
