Six of the 31 persons kidnapped during the attack on a train station in Igueben Local Government Area of Edo State have been rescued.
This was made known in a statement released by the state Commissioner for Communication and Orientation, Chris Nehikhare.
According to him, the rescued persons include a 65-year-old man, a nursing mother and her baby, a six-year-old girl and her two siblings, aged two and five.
He commended the rescue team in the bush and their support staff that were 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 kidnapper.”he said
In a related development, the Executive Director, Esan Youth for Good Governance and Social Justice, Benson Odia, says the kidnappers made contact with some families of the kidnap victims and demanded N20 million for each victim.
Odia said the demand was absurd, calling on the authorities to intensify efforts in rescuing the 31 abducted persons that are still being held captive by their abductees.