Another Nigerian train attack kidnapped 31 passengers.

The Edo State commissioner of Communication and Orientation, Chris Nehikhare, confirmed on Sunday that 31 intending passengers had been abducted on Saturday at the Edo train station of Igueben. Terrorists attacked an Abuja-Kaduna train on March 28, 2022, in Katari, killing eight passengers instantly and kidnapping 62 others.

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The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Edo train passengers were said to be waiting for a 4 p.m. train from Igueben to Warri when the terrorists struck, shooting sporadically, abducting passengers, and leaving many injured. Mr. Nehikhare told journalists in Benin that one abducted passenger escaped from the kidnappers, while the police had arrested one of the suspects. He said, “The kidnapping is the most difficult occurrence in the state currently.

A few armed men who came with vehicles at about 4 p.m. started shooting sporadically at the Igueben train station.

“Kidnapping 32 while many others were injured.

They came with cars but took their victims into the bush on foot. “The police in collaboration with the vigilantes and hunters, started combing the bush almost immediately.

“One suspect has been arrested, and he is helping the police in their investigation. “The Deputy Governor, Philip Shaibu, visited the scene of the crime yesterday morning to have an on the spot assessment of what has happened.

“We are pleased to say that one suspect has been arrested. “We congratulate the police and the Edo security network for the swiftness with which they responded to the security breach,”Mr.Nehikhare said. According to him, “we sympathize with the families of the victims and hope that this is the last time we will have such daring people invading government infrastructure.”

Mr. Nehikhare also disclosed that the state government was up-to-date with the payment of pensions to retired workers and was currently expending one-third of its personnel costs on pension payments.

“We make N100 million available monthly to pay gratuity to those retirees with serious medical challenges.

“We paid over N1 billion last year, and we have also budgeted another N1 billion for 2023. “”We are constrained to believe that the protests in the past over pensions were politically instigated,” he said.