Edo State Commissioner for Communication and Orientation, Chris Nehikhare, has stated that the state government and security operatives who rescued the kidnapped magistrate did not lose anybody in the line of duty.
Rather, he said that DSP Adams Michael, one of the Police Officers who participated in the rescue operation died of ‘natural causes’ after the operation.
Nehikhare talked about “the rescue of the magistrate that was kidnapped a few days ago by our gallant police officers after a good job was done.”
Going further, Nehikhare stated that he was disturbed when he read that the Bayelsa State born father of two daughters attached to the anti-kidnapping squad was felled by bullets through a crossfire.
“That’s not true. He was one of those who participated in the operation and after a successful operation he died through natural causes. He was not felled by bullets and he didn’t even die at the scene of the operation.
“The state government led by the Deputy Governor (Comrade Philip Shaibu) and all the service chiefs – Commissioner of Police, the Airforce, the Army and the DSS – paid a condolence visit to his widow and kids this afternoon.
“We are particularly proud of this young officer, the way he conducted the operation and the victim was successfully extracted and the kidnappers were also neutralised. None of our people sustained any injury in the operation,” Nehikhare disclosed.
On the Igueben train station abduction, he disclosed: “I am also pleased to report that two more victims have been rescued from the Igueben train station issue. They were rescued in the early hours of yesterday.
“The operation is still ongoing and we still also want to reassure Edo people that we’re going to make Edo State very uncomfortable for kidnappers or bandits or whatever nomenclature you want to go by. We will not allow them to have a camp here in Edo.”
