| Yenagoa train station kidnapping | |
|---|---|
| Part of Nigerian bandit conflict | |
| Location | Yenagoa, Edo State, Nigeria |
| Date | January 7, 2023 |
| Injured | Unknown |
| Victims | 32 kidnapped |
| Perpetrator | Fulani herdsmen |
On January 7, 2023, thirty-two people were kidnapped by bandits at a train station in Yenagoa, Edo State, Nigeria. All were freed on January 17.
Kidnapping for ransom is a common tactic used by gangs across Nigeria, although is usually relegated to the north of the country around Kaduna State.[1] Edo State, in southern Nigeria, took legal measures to prevent kidnapping in the 2010s after several high-ranking judges were kidnapped, although kidnappings continued throughout the state at a lower level.[2] In the run-up to the 2023 Nigerian presidential election, southern and southeastern Nigeria was embroiled in political violence, with Edo State consumed as well.[3][4]
The kidnappers came out of the bush near the train station around twenty minutes before a train headed to Warri was set to arrive.[5] As they came out of the bush, the kidnappers shot into the air, injuring some civilians. They then abducted thirty-two people, including the station manager and clerk.[6] Survivors blamed the lack of security at the station for the success of the attack.[6] One woman managed to escape the kidnapping with her baby, and later two children abducted in the attack were dropped off at a nearby gas station with their parents contacted.[6]
The Edo State police commissioner alleged the perpetrators to be Fulani herdsmen.[6]
By January 17, all of the abductees had been rescued by Nigerian authorities. Two village chiefs and five kidnappers were arrested and charged for the kidnapping.[7]