The Inspector-General of Police, Usman Baba, has deployed police special squads, including the Intelligence Response Team and Anti-Terrorism Squad to rescue the victims of the train attack in Edo State.
learned the squads deployed from Force Headquarters would complement the efforts of the state Police Command.
According to Vanguard, a senior police officer said: The IG has deployed the IRT and the anti-terrorism squad to Edo from Force headquarters. But the security agencies should have taken pre-emptive measures by deploying armed agents around the stations.”
The Force Public Relations Officer, Muyiwa Adejobi, had earlier informed that efforts were ongoing to rescue the abductees.
“We will give necessary support to Edo State Police Command and Railway Police Command on the rescue of the abducted victims; efforts are being intensified to rescue them and arrest the culprits,” he hadvsaid.
Recall that gunmen abducted 31 passengers on Saturday at Tom Ikimi train stations in Igueben Local Government Area of Edo state.
According to reports, the abductors allegedly demanded N620m ransom for their release, while presenting their demands to the families of the abductees.
The Executive Director, Esan Youth for Good Governance and Social Justice, Benson Odia, disclosed that the kidnappers were demanding N20m for each victim.
Odia stated that the demand was absurd, calling on the authorities to intensify efforts in rescuing the 31 hostages in the custody of the kidnappers.
He also said that the Minister of Transportation, Mu’azu Sambo and the Managing Director, Nigeria Railway Corporation, Fidel Okhiria were at Igueben to assess the situation.
Odia said the authorities promised to deploy helicopters on Tuesday to locate where the victims were kept in the bush.
He said, “I can tell you that the kidnappers have demanded N20m, totalling N620m. This is absurd and I don’t know where poor people will be able to raise that amount of money.’’
