The Edo Government has confirmed the arrest of two village chiefs in connection with the January 7 train attack which resulted in the kidnap of 20 passengers at the Igueben train station.
The state Commissioner for Communication and
Orientation, Chris Nehikhare, disclosed that seven other suspects had also been
arrested in connection with the incident, adding that two remaining passengers
in captivity had also been rescued by security agents.
He revealed this shortly after the state executive
council meeting in Benin on Wednesday.
Nehikhare said, “The success story in the
kidnapping is that five persons and two village chiefs have been arrested in
connection with the incident and they are helping with investigations,” he
said.
When
asked to give the names of the village chiefs, he said further details should
be sought from the police.
But the Executive Director, Esan Youth for
Good Governance and Social Justice, Benson Odia, said that the chiefs were
innocent, adding that their arrest had a political undertone.
He
said, “You see, the government is playing politics. The chiefs were never
accused of being a perpetrator or whatever. The arrest of those chiefs and the
traditional rulers has a political undertone because these days they are now
partisan. They are not supporting his political party which is why the governor
is trying to use them as scapegoats.”
Odia said banditry was not only taking place
in Igueben forest and Udo forest but “because there was a train attack, the
governor is now trying to use some traditional rulers as scapegoats.’’
He added, “Even in Edo North in Akoko Edo, the
local government of deputy governor, kidnappers are on a rampage there and Fulani
are also grazing cows. Those traditional rulers are not kidnappers. They were
never involved in criminal activities. The governor just wants to embarrass
them. We are aware that the traditional rulers have been remanded.”
Meanwhile, the House of Representatives, on
Wednesday, resolved to observe a minute of silence in honour of a police
officer, DSP Michael Adams, who died in an operation to rescue President of the
Customary Court, Mrs Precious Aigbonog, from her abductors in Edo State.
The House also urged the Inspector-General of
Police, Usman Baba, to deploy more Mobile Police personnel in Edo Central
Senatorial District of Edo State, while urging the Chief of Army Staff,
Lieutenant-General, Farouk Yahaya, and the IGP to set up a Nigeria Army
barracks or a Forward Operating Base and a Police Mobile Force Base,
respectively, within the district.
The House further mandated the Committees on
Army and Police Affairs to ensure compliance with the resolutions and report
back within four weeks for further legislative action.
The resolutions were sequel to the unanimous adoption of a
motion moved by a member of the House from Edo, Sergius Ogun, titled ‘Need to
Beef Up Security Formations in Edo Central Senatorial District of Edo State.’
Moving
the motion, Ogun noted that Section 14(2)(b) of the Constitution provides that
the security and welfare of the people of Nigeria shall be the primary purpose
of the government, adding that the National Assembly is empowered to make laws
for the peace, order and good governance of the Federation or any part thereof,
as enshrined in Section 4(2).
He said, “The House is worried about the spate
of kidnappings, armed robbery attacks and insecurity generally in the country,
especially in Edo Central Senatorial District of Edo State, thus leading to the
loss of lives and properties, and is causing palpable fear and apprehension
among residents.
“The
House is informed that on Monday, January 9, 2023, Mrs Precious Aigbonog, the
President of Customary Court was kidnapped on her way to court around Ugoneki
Igueben Local Government Area of Edo State.
“The
House is also informed that a former member of the Edo State House of Assembly,
Mr Festus Edughele, was also kidnapped on January 9, 2023, at Ugoneki town on
his way to board a flight to Abuja in Benin City.
“The
House is disturbed that these sad incidents occurred two days after 20 train
passengers were kidnapped at the Igueben Train Station while waiting to board a
train to Warri, Delta State.”
The
lawmaker said while the efforts by the team of Nigeria Army and Nigeria Police
Force, which led to the rescue of Aigbonog, Edughele and 18 out of the 20 train
passengers who were kidnapped, the House is “saddened by the death of DSP
Michael Adams during the rescue operation” by the Nigerian Army and the Nigeria
Police as a result of the gun duel with the kidnappers.
Ogun
stressed the urgent need to beef up security formations in the entirety of the
district to forestall kidnappings and eradicate other acts of criminality in
Esanland and Edo State at large.
“The
House is convinced that setting up of a Police Mobile Force Base and a Nigeria
Army Barracks/Forward Operating Base within Edo Central Senatorial District
will go a long way in wadding off perpetrators of crimes and criminality from
Esanland and Edo State in general,” he stated.
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