Edo Train Kidnap: Edo Govt Puts Victims’ Figure At 20, Says 13 Still In Captivity

The Edo State Government on Wednesday said the latest intelligence on last Saturday’s kidnap at an Igueben train station, indicated that 20 people were actually kidnapped by the herdsmen and not the 32 figure earlier reported.

This was just as the state government announced that of the lot, 13 people remain in captivity as seven others had earlier been rescued by the joint operations of the military, Police, vigilantes and local hunters.

Mr Chris Osa Nehikhare, Commissioner for communication and Orientation, who made the clarifications at a press conference in Benin on Wednesday, assured that efforts had been doubled to see to the rescue of the remaining victims, just as he sued that in reporting the incidents, the media should pay attention to the safety and wellbeing of those still in captivity by taking sensationalism out of their reportage.

Nehikhare added that the state deputy governor, Comrade Philip Shaibu, had met with the traditional rulers and village heads of the locality, where he enjoined them to be conscious of their responsibility of identifying strangers in their domains and reporting unusual activities to the government.

The deputy governor, Nehikhare said, equally warned the traditional rulers and village heads of the consequences of harbouring criminals in their domains as doing so would attract full punishment, which he added, included the forfeiture of houses used for hostage abode, demolition and prosecution of landlords for murder if such a kidnap act involved the death of the victim.