Gunmen Demand N620 Million Ransom To Free Passengers Kidnapped At Edo Train Station

The gunmen who kidnapped 31 passengers at the Igueben Train Station in Edo State, Saturday, have reportedly demanded a ransom of N620 million.

Comrade Benson Odia, executive director of Esan Youth for Good Governance and Social Justice, disclosed, Monday, that the kidnappers have contacted families of the victims and demanded N20 million for each person, Punch Reported.

Odia spoke to the news outlet about the absurd demand for ransom and appealed to the authorities to intensify efforts to rescue those who are still being held captive. He further noted that the authorities would deploy helicopters, Tuesday, to locate the victims

The Edo state police spokesman, Chidi Nwabuzor, however, was unable to confirm the accuracy of the claim.

Meanwhile, the Edo Government has announced that six of the 31 train passengers who were abducted Saturday have been rescued. The Commissioner for Communication and Orientation, Chris Nehikhare, disclosed this in a statement released Monday.

A 65-year-old man, a nursing mother, and her baby, a 6-year-old girl and her two siblings – aged two and five were among those rescued, as stated by Nehikhare.

He lauded the bush rescue team and their support staff for working tirelessly to ensure the victims were rescued and reunited with their families.

"We are confident that the other victims will be rescued soon as the highly motivated security personnel are in high spirits and have doubled down on the hot chase of the kidnappers," said Nehikhare, as per the statement.

"As events unfold, be assured that we will keep you posted," the commissioner added.

Additionally, one of the 32 passengers who managed to escape is now helping security officials with the rescue operation.

The Nigerian government has shut down the train station where the recent kidnappings took place.

The attack in Edo occurred approximately 10 months after terrorists had attacked a moving train in Kaduna, North-west Nigeria. Consequently, some people were killed and dozens were kidnapped.

For more than a decade, militants and armed gangs operating in Nigeria have terrorized civilians. Abductions for ransom have become increasingly common across the country, with innocent civilians often being the target. These groups often operate with impunity, carrying out their heinous crimes without consequence.

Nigeria's Senate, in 2022, passed a bill imposing a jail sentence of at least 15 years for anyone paying ransom to free someone who has been kidnapped. The bill also made abducting an individual punishable by death if the victim dies as a result. However, the bill has not had any effect on the rate of kidnappings in Nigeria.