The Defence Headquarters has reacted to a video clip of some United Nations Peacekeeping fighting vehicles and equipment sighted recently in Benin, Edo State.

Acting Director of Defence Information, Brigadier-General Tukur Gusau says the UN Operational vehicles were in Transit to the Warri port for movement to a peacekeeping mission in Southern Sudan alongside the Nation’s troops who were inducted into the UNISFA mission last month.

The Defence Headquarters assures Nigerians that the nation is not under any threat to warrant the deployment of United Nations troops to the country.

Thirty-one persons are now confirmed to have Been Abducted In Saturday’s attack at a train Station in Igueben, Edo State.

This is the Second Train Attack in Ten Months after the Abuja-Kaduna Train Incident Last March.

Authorities say they are Working Desperately to track down those behind the Igueben abduction towards rescuing the Captives.

The train attack this time was not on the rail tracks but at a train substation In the Igueben Local Government Area of Edo State.

The rail line begins from Itakpe in Kogi State and terminates in Warri Delta State.

There are about eight Substations on the route and Igueben is one of them.

That was where Suspected Terrorists Struck on Saturday Evening.

The Edo state commissioner of police Muhammed Dankwara and Deputy Governor Philip Shuaibu visited the scene of the incident on Sunday.

Shuaibu confirmed the kidnapping of some of the passengers and assured that the victims will be rescued in the shortest possible time.

A statement released by the Edo state police public relations officer Chidi Nwabuzor earlier on Saturday said the kidnappers were armed with AK 47 riffles.

While assurances are high that the kidnappers will be arrested and victims rescued, the Edo state government has called for calm from residents.

The commissioner for Communications and Orientation Chris Nehikhare while briefing journalists on the development confirmed that thirty-one
passengers were abducted.

Following the incident, the Nigerian Railway Corporation has announced the closure of the station till further notice.

The corporation says the decision became necessary following rising insecurity.

In March 2022, scores of persons were kidnapped in Katari, in Kaduna state by terrorists who ambushed the train. Eight persons were killed on the spot while a few sustained injuries.

The kidnapped persons were released in batches, the last batch was freed in October, 7 months after their abduction.

The Edo State commandant of the Nigeria security and civil defence corps NSCDC Samuel Dan says the goal of the corps is to ensure that personnel were properly trained in every facet and dimension of security maintenance.

The commandant during the passing out parade of its recruits and the graduation of its officers’ wives from skills acquisition training advised civil defence officers’ wives to avail themselves of the opportunity to be trained on various skills at the disposal of the corps

According to the commandant and other leaders of the corps, the training of one hundred and twenty newly recruited personnel drawn from the eighteen local government areas of Edo state on arms and weapon handling among other training was necessary to combat the present security challenges facing the country.

The parade by the newly recruited officers followed different levels of simulations, exercises on crime prevention and other engagements including the presentation of awards of excellence to deserving officers.

While the men continued to secure the nation, their wives were supported with a non-lethal approach through the introduction of resources and a skills acquisition program by the civil Defence Officers Wives Association, CDOWA.

The commandant says the training of thirty officers’ wives and their relatives on various skills was necessary to discourage them from venturing into illicit businesses.

The commandant is hopeful that the training of its personnel during the festive period will further ensure that citizens are well protected as they observe the holiday.