Edo Police Command’s Public Relations Officer, SP Chidi Nwabuzor, on Sunday said the suspects of Igueben Train Attack and abduction appeared in court for the extension of exparte order.

Nwabuzor’s reaction in Benin, follows speculations and reports that the court has commenced trial of the suspects.

According to Nwabuzor, ” Exparte Order, It’s an order of court that enables the Police investigators to extend the detention of a suspect(s) for a period of 14 days to enable them to meet with exegesis

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that on Jan. 7, unknown gunmen attacked and kidnapped unspecified passengers at Igueben train station who were waiting to board a train to Warri.

According to a copy of pleadings signed by Barr. I. E. Ekibade on behalf of the legal section of the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (SCIID), and made available to NAN in Benin, eight suspects are in police custody.

The suspects, all males, conspired within themselves to “commit felony by wit.”

The eight suspects are; Ighoko Mustapher Odion, Okojie Dominic Ewa, Ojie Patrick, Friday Ighedujiemu, Chief Ibadin Hamilton, Halilu Umaru, Aminu Ibrahim and Isah Aliyu.

The state Commissioner of police who is the complainant in the case, filed and prayed the court to serve justice to the eight suspects because they have committed an offence punishable under the Kidnapping Prohibition (Amendment) Law of the state.”

The document revealed that Odion, 62, Ewa, 58, Patrick, 42, Ighedujiemu, 51, Hamilton, 59, Umaru, 28, Ibrahim, 25, and Aliyu, 25, conspired to kidnap the victims with the expectation of getting N20 million from their relatives as ransom for their freedom.

The two count-charge against the suspects contravened Section 5 and punishable under Section 2 (1) (2) of the Kidnapping Prohibition (Amendment) Law of Edo State, 2013.