Abuja-Kaduna train attack: NRC confirms 22 passengers missing, says 146 others ‘unreachable’
Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) says 22 passengers of the ill-fated Abuja-Kaduna shuttle train attacked by terrorists, Monday night of March 28, as against the earlier figure released by the military and the State Government which had put the number of abducted at 29.
It would be recalled that a Kaduna-bound train, which left Abuja 6pm on last week Monday, was attacked by suspected terrorists around 7.45 pm, with just 15 minutes drive left for it to arrive Kaduna.
Kaduna State Commissioner for Home Affairs and Internal Security, Mr Samuel Aruwan, last Tuesday said the train had been secured by military personnel, and that government had evacuated passenger on board the train.
He said staff of Kaduna State Emergency Management Agency (KADSEMA) and Nigeria Red Cross, Kaduna chapter, conducted the evacuation.
The terrorist had reportedly planted explosives believed to be IEDs on the rail track around Katari, Kaduna state which caused the Kaduna-bound train to derail from track.
It was gathered that the train which took off around 6 pm from the Idu train station at the Federal Capital Territory in Abuja on Monday hit an explosive device about 30 minutes to Rigasa train station in Kaduna.
Addressing State House Correspondents shortly after their closed door meeting with President Buhari, last Tuesday, the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Irabor said 29 passengers were abducted by the terrorists in the aftermath of the attack on the train.
“We have come to brief the President regarding the unfortunate incident of yesterday, where some criminals, bandits had gone to lay improvised explosive devices on the rail tracks and a passenger train was demobilised and seven Nigerians were killed, 29 others wounded and some were kidnapped and we are yet to establish the exact number.
“So we went to the scene this morning, inspected the entire area and gave out instructions on what is to be done and we have come to brief the President on this development.”
However, Managing Director of NRC, Mr Fidet Okhiria, in a statement, Monday, said 146 of the confirmed 362 passengers onboard the ill-fated Abuja-Kaduna train are unreachable six days after the train was attacked by terrorists.
He, however, said the number of safe passengers had risen to 186.
Okhiria said 51 phone numbers on the manifest are either switched off or unreachable since Tuesday morning and 35 phone numbers on the manifest are ringing, but no response from the other end.
He also noted that 60 phone numbers on the manifest when called, responded non-existent.
The NRC boss clarified that 22 persons are reported missing by their relatives and eight persons were confirmed dead.
While condemning the incident, last Tuesday, the Nigerian Senate called on the Army and Air Force to, as a matter of urgency, bombard terrorist enclaves across the country to restore peace and stability.
The call formed part of the resolution reached at the plenary on the continuing attacks on communities and public facilities in Kaduna State.
In a motion moved by Sen. Uba Sani (APC- Kaduna), the lawmaker who said that terrorists had in recent times increased attacks on communities and public facilities in Kaduna, informed that the latest attacks took place in some communities in Giwa Local Government, including Angwan Sarki Yahya, Tashar Shari, Bare-Bari, Tsaunin Natal, Dillalai, Durumi and Jatin Kanwa, all in Yakawada Ward.
“They killed 50 persons and kidnapped over 100 people. They also made strategic roads in Giwa Local Government no go areas.
“Not done with their devilish acts, they made an attempt to penetrate the Kaduna International Airport. Although the attack was foiled by vigilant security operatives, one person lost his life.
When people were trying to come to grips with a week-long wanton destruction of lives and property, the terrorists struck again.
“The train derailed after the first wave of attacks. Grenades and RPG were used. They rained bullets on all the coaches and some passengers were killed, while many sustained bullet wounds,” he noted.
Sani explained that the establishment of state police would bring law enforcement closer to the people.
Contributing, Sen. Gabriel Suswam (PDP-Benue) said that Kaduna state had become the new theatre of insecurity, adding that the lingering activities of terrorists in the state made it imperative for the appropriate authorities to take decisive action.
Suswam attributed the inability of the military to curtail growing incidents of terrorism to a clear failure of leadership.
Sen. Danjuma La’ah (PDP-Kaduna) said if the security situation in the country was not nipped in the bud, political leaders would become the main targets of terrorists.
The senate urged President Muhammadu Buhari, to declare full scale war against terrorists, to fully secure all national territory, further directing security agencies to take steps to prevent the occurrence of similar incidence in the future.
It added that the military should monitor the inhabitants of new shanties around the Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport, Abuja.
The upper chamber urged the relevant agencies of government to step up their information gathering mechanism to, forestall the incessant attacks.
It also called on the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and other relevant agencies to assist the affected communities with relief materials.