Edo State Government on Friday debunked the reports that Adams Michael, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), attached to the Edo State Police Command Anti-Kidnapping Unit died of gunshots wounds during the rescue operation of the Igueben Customary Court President, Mrs. Precious Aigbonoga, who was kidnapped on Monday on her way to the court.
The state Commissioner for Communication and Orientation, Mr. Chris Osa Nehikhare, who made the clarification in Benin at a press conference, said that the late police officer died after the rescue operations of natural causes and had no single gunshot wound on his body.
Nehikhare noted that the clarification became necessary so as not to dampen the spirits of the officers and men of the security agencies involved in the rescue operations of the remaining victims of the Igueben train station passengers, who were kidnapped by herdsmen of Saturday, while waiting to board a train to Warri, Delta State.
This was just as he disclosed that two more victims of the Igueben train station kidnap were rescued by the security agencies in the early hours of Thursday, leaving 11 victims in the captivity of their abductors.
“We have successfully rescued Her Lordship, the Magistrate for Igueben Court, Mrs. Precious Aigbonoga, who was kidnapped on Monday. I also want to correct the reports in the media that in the process of rescuing her Lordship, a policeman was killed. The true picture is that DSP Adams Michael was part of the rescue operations, and he died shortly after the mission. It is not true that he sustained a gunshot wound. He died of natural causes after the operations. He is from Bayelsa State, married with two daughters and he is just 34 years old.
“The state deputy governor, Comrade Philip and others have visited the widow and the children. I can tell you that the gallant police officer was not fell by bullets. As a government, we are proud of the way the security agencies carried out the operation and the victim successfully extracted. We commend the gallantry of the security operatives.
“On the unfortunate Igueben train incident, I wish to announce to you that in the early hours of yesterday (Thursday), two more victims have been rescued. The rescue operations are still ongoing. We want to assure the people of Edo state that this government will make the state uncomfortable for bandits and other criminal elements and they will not be allowed to have a cell here”, Nehikhare assured.
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Nehikhare added that the judge was “with her family and not in any hospital because he was injured during the rescue operation”.
He admitted that the Igueben incident “came as a rush and we are dealing with it with the same alacrity. This is why we are appealing to the media to always wait for official statements either from the police or the government. We cannot afford to rely on social media”.
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