The Kaduna State Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Samuel Aruwan, who confirmed the figures, also disclosed that from the manifest received from the Nigerian Railway Corporation, 398 passengers bought tickets, but 362 were validated.
Aruwan said the passengers’ manifest excluded the NRC workers and security officials on board the train, adding that several passengers could not be accounted for.
It was learned that about 30 persons were abducted from the train, among whom was the managing director, Nigeria Bank of Agriculture, Kabir Adamu.
Among those confirmed to have been killed in the attack were the secretary-general of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), Barrister Musa-Lawal Ozigi; Kwara State chairman of TUC, Comrade Akinsola Akinwunmi; a staff of the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), Abdul Kofar-Mata; and a female medical doctor who worked with St Gerald’s Hospital, owned by the Catholic Church in Kaduna, Chinelo Nwando; daughter of the national organizing secretary of the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), Farida Sule Mohammed, and a lawyer, who was identified as a principal partner of a law firm whose identity was yet to be verified at the time of going to the press.
Three cleaners of the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) were also killed in the attack. One of the cleaners, who worked at the Kubwa station, was simply identified as Lorita.
Meanwhile, one of the passengers on the train, who identified herself as Mary, said more than 10 dead bodies, including staff of the Nigeria Railway Corporation, were carried out in her presence after the attack.
Mary also said all the passengers on the VVIP coach were the first to be abducted after the terrorists gained entrance into the train. The VVIP coach has the capacity of 25 passengers.
She further said about five persons near where she lay were abducted as the terrorists operated for over two hours without hindrance.
When asked about the police security personnel on the train, another passenger, who didn’t want to be mentioned, said they all ran for safety.
He, however, said after the attack, a train from Idu station, Abuja, came to return surviving and injured passengers to Abuja at about a few minutes to 12am.
Speaking after inspecting the scene of the attack, Transportation minister, Amaechi, said, “We don’t have all the figures of missing persons, those kidnapped, and those injured at the moment.
“The numbers we have are that there are eight casualties, 28 persons in the hospital and the total number of passengers is 398. So, we have to wait on the security agencies.”
Speaking on the failure to install security sensors on the rail line since the previous attack in November 2022, the minister said: “We have not been able to install the security sensors because the procurement process is a bit difficult. It is typical of Nigerians to want to shorten the process and save lives like this but because the process is tedious, the approval is also tedious. We have not been able to get the approval that will lead to the purchase of those items.
“So, for me, I am devastated and honestly I don’t know what to tell Nigerians anymore.”
On the plan going forward, the minister said: “We are thinking about the possibility of employing natives until we get those pieces of equipment. We also need helicopters; beyond the drones, we need helicopters.”
On Kaduna State government’s advice that late train service is stopped, he pointed out that some work in Abuja and go back home to Kaduna, whose interest has to be considered, “but if it going to make us lose lives, we may have to stop it but I don’t think that it is the solution.”
The solution, he said, is not in running away from the militants or the bandits, but in providing the right surveillance technology.
The NRC managing director, Engineer Fidet Okhiria, lamented the incident, saying when bandits started attacking road travelers, and trains became the succor for people, “we started entertaining this fear that probably an attempt will be made.
“When we had information about planned attacks, the government and security agencies were well briefed, and on their part also, we got the commitment of helicopter coverage and other things and then passengers were also asked to monitor themselves in case there are passengers who may be board the train and give information to these bandits.”
The NRC boss condoled with families whose loved ones were affected by the train bombing.
Meanwhile, the Kaduna State government said it had received from the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) the detailed passenger manifest for the Abuja-Kaduna train service (AK9) which was attacked by terrorist security and home affairs, Samuel Aruwan, in a statement said the passenger manifest does not include NRC staff and security officials who were on board, adding that, according to security agencies, eight bodies were recovered and 26 persons were injured during the attack.
“Investigations are still ongoing to ascertain the status of the passengers who were onboard the train and remain unaccounted for at the time of this update. Search operations are also being sustained.
“Citizens are requested to contact the Kaduna State Emergency Management Agency on the phone line 09088923398, to make inquiries or provide information regarding passengers who were on board the Abuja-Kaduna train AK9,” he said in the statement.
Survivors Narrate Ordeal, Hospitals Face Shortage Of Blood
Survivors of the train attack have narrated their experiences.
One of them, who simply identified herself as Zainab Musa, said via a telephone chat that the attack was shocking to the passengers.
She said, “We all lay down flat before security forces started converging to drive the terrorists away. ”
Musa said initially no harm was meted on them.
Another survivor, Anas Iron Danmusa, said the explosives planted by the terrorists ruined the engine of their train.
He said, “As of 8pm, we were just lying on the seats of the train praying. The gunmen were shooting sporadically around the Katari-Rijana train route.
“All the passengers were lying on the floor of the train. The terrorists were shooting sporadically. We were in danger,” another survivor said.
Among the survivors recuperating at the Army Reference Hospital and St Gerald’s Hospital, Kaduna, yesterday included former deputy governor of Zamfara State, Ibrahim Wakkala. He and other victims were receiving treatment.
Maimuna told The PUNCH from her hospital bed that the attackers, who mostly communicated in Fulfulde, were between 18 and 20 years old and wielded heavy guns.
Maimuna, who said she was returning from Abuja, where she had gone for a workshop, noted that the passengers saw hell but remained grateful to God that she was among those rescued by troops.
The victim said the terrorists forced their way into the coach Sp17, where she was, shot indiscriminately, and were shouting ‘Allah Akbar’.
She added that the terrorists abducted many of the passengers, whom they forced down the train, beating and kicking them.
Ibrahim, however, sustained a gunshot wound on her thigh, but luckily the bullet did not penetrate her bone.
She said, “I went for a workshop in Abuja in the morning. I was on my way back when the attack took place. I was shot in the leg but the bullet did not penetrate my bone. Honestly, we suffered seriously, but thank God that soldiers came and they helped us.
“I was unable to walk; it was one of the soldiers, who carried me on his back to the car that brought us to the hospital. They carried us and were able to pass over the cliff. Seriously, they tried because it was not easy climbing the cliff.
“The terrorists came into the train but they did not come to the place I was seated. I was hit by a bullet. They entered SP17. As they were shooting, the police security on the train asked us to lie down on the floor of the train so that bullets would not hit us. Unfortunately, before I could get down, a bullet hit me.”
Some of the victims had been stabilized, but in severe pain on the hospital beds.
Faced with a blood shortage, the hospitals’ management appealed to residents, especially those in 0 Group to donate to the victims, especially at 44 Reference Hospital.
Also yesterday, two senators from Kaduna State, Senators Abdu Kwari and Uba Sani gave accounts of the horrible experiences of passengers on the Kaduna-bound train.
Kwari spoke while contributing to a motion entitled “The continuing attacks on communities and public facilities in Kaduna State” on the floor of the Senate at plenary.
He said: “What is happening today is, to say the least very pathetic. And what was experienced yesterday in Kaduna is something that you will not wish even the worst of your enemies.
“We found ourselves yesterday entangled, having live chats with people that were caught in the unfortunate incident and it was really scary.
“My President, one of the women seated with a baby in her arms in that ill-fated train was calling for mercy. She had an aged mother by her side and was pleading that she brought the mother for medical attention from Abuja.
“She was pleading for mercy. Instead of giving mercy, Mr. President, she had her head shattered right before other travelers on that train.
“Fortunately, some of the military personnel that was inside the train had to instruct some people in the act of crawling; that was what saved the disastrous outing of that train, and many of them crawled from the VIP coaches to the economy coaches and that is why the casualties recorded were reduced,” he said.
On his part, Uba Sani said, “The train derailed after the first wave of attacks. Grenades and RPGs were used. They rained bullets on all the coaches. Some passengers were killed, while many sustained bullet wounds.
“There are reports that some of the passengers were abducted. The terrified passengers only breathed a sigh of relief when security agencies arrived and secured the train and the area. It’s been a reign of undiluted terror,” he said, lamenting that the terrorists were getting emboldened by the day.
He expressed concern that the unrelenting attacks called to question the strategies and tactics being adopted by the security forces.
“We expected that with the declaration of bandits as terrorists by a court of competent jurisdiction, they will be degraded in no time.
“This appears not to be happening. The security forces must reassess their strategies and come up with workable and effective solutions to the menace of terrorists in Kaduna State”, he added.
Buhari Gives Service Chiefs Marching Orders
Reacting to the attack, the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), ordered the military to deal ruthlessly with terrorists, asking them not to spare anyone unlawfully wielding an AK-47 rifle.
He also directed the immediate conclusion of all the processes for the implementation of the integrated security surveillance and monitoring solution for the Abuja to Kaduna rail line, saying that it should be extended to cover the Lagos-Ibadan rail line.
Buhari gave these directives after receiving briefs from the service chiefs led by the Chief of Defence Staff, General Lucky Irabor, with the Chief of Army Staff, Lt-Gen Farouk Yahaya; Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Isiaka Amao; Inspector-General of Police, Usman Baba, as well as Major General Samuel Adebayo, the Chief of Defence Intelligence; and the Director-General of the Department of State Services, Yusuf Bichi, at the State House.
The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, disclosed this in a statement on Tuesday titled, ‘Kaduna train attack: President Buhari directs the immediate implementation of security solution; condemns incident’.
According to the statement, the President “also directed the Nigerian Railway Corporation management to speedily repair the damaged lines and resume normal service without delay.”
“He charged the law enforcement chiefs to bring back all passengers kidnapped and ensure that each of the callous terrorists are hunted down and made to face justice for their heinous acts as no one or group should be allowed to make the country prostrate,” Shehu stated.
Buhari reiterated his earlier directive that the military should deal ruthlessly with terrorists, asking it to be more decisive and not spare anyone unlawfully wielding an AK-47.
Attack The Terrorists Enclaves, Senate Tell Military
On its part, the Senate has called on the Nigerian Army and Airforce to, as a matter of urgency, bombard terrorists’ enclaves to restore peace and stability in the country.
The call was made yesterday amid resolutions reached following a point of order raised on “the continuing attacks on communities and public facilities in Kaduna State.”
The point of order was raised by Senator Uba Sani (Kaduna Central).
The lawmaker noted that terrorists had in recent times stepped up attacks on some communities and public facilities in Kaduna State.
According to him, “the latest attacks by these murderous elements took place in some communities in Giwa local government, namely Angwan Sarki Yahya, Tashar Shari, Bare-Bari, Tsaunin Natal, Dillalai, Durumi and Jatin Kanwa, all on Yakawada Ward.
“Other places affected include Kaya community, Mai Kyauro, and Fatika. 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.”
He bemoaned the attacks by bandits on a Kaduna-bound train carrying over 970 passengers around Kateri – Rijana axis in Kaduna, just a few kilometers to the Rigasa Train Station in Igabi Local Government Area of the State.
Contributing, Senator Gabriel Suswam attributed the inability of the military to curtail growing incidents of terrorism to “a clear failure of leadership.”
On his part, Senator Danjuma La’ah expressed fear that if the security situation in the country was not checked, political leaders would become the main targets of terrorists.
The Senate, accordingly, urged President Muhammadu Buhari to declare a full-scale war against terrorists.
It urged the Army and the Air Force to carry out a sustained bombardment of terrorists’ enclaves to flush them out and restore peace and stability to our communities.
The Senate further directed security agencies to always take steps to prevent the occurrence of similar incidents in the future.
The lawmakers urged the military to, as a matter of urgency, monitor the construction and inhabitants of new shanty buildings around the Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport, Abuja.
The chamber urged the relevant agencies of government to step up their information-gathering mechanism to forestall these incessant attacks.
It also called on the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), and other relevant government agencies to assist the affected communities with relief materials.
The chamber urged Nigerians to remain vigilant and report any suspicious movements to security operatives.
The Senate, thereafter, held a one-minute silence to mourn the deceased in Monday’s attacks. It condoled with the families of the victims of the attacks and the government and people of Kaduna State.
Search, Rescue Operations Continue
The Kaduna State government, yesterday, disclosed that the evacuation of passengers on the trapped Kaduna-bound train from Abuja had been concluded by security forces, officials of Kaduna State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), and the Nigerian Red Cross.
The commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Samuel Aruwan, in a statement said that search and rescue operations were in progress as passengers who sustained injuries and other fatalities had been moved to hospitals.
The statement added that the passengers were evacuated from different hard-to-reach areas in forests and rocky locations in Audujongom, off the Kaduna-Abuja Road.
Aruwan said the Kaduna State government was still liaising with the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) to ascertain the list from the passenger manifest for efficient tracking.
Governor Nasir El-Rufai, who commended those who participated in the evacuation, appealed to the hospitals to attend to the victims diligently.
The governor also directed the Ministry of Health to be in contact with the hospitals as the government will bear the cost of their treatment.
Vice President Yemi Osibanjo and Governor Nasir El-Rufai visited some of the victims receiving medical attention at hospitals in Kaduna.
Earlier, the Inspector-General of Police, Usman Alkali Baba, the Chief of Defence Staff, General Lucky Irabor, and top officials of the Nigerian Railway Corporation had visited the scene of the terrorist attack.
The Chief of Army Staff, COAS, Lieutenant General Faruk Yahaya also visited the site of the Abuja-Kaduna train attack.
The security chiefs assessed the security situation around the attack area and inspected the attacked train, as well as the damaged rail track.
The Kaduna State Government has condemned the terrorist attack on the Kaduna-Abuja train and consoled the families of the passengers that died in the attack.
A statement from Sir Kashim Ibrahim House disclosed that Malam Nasir El-Rufai and Deputy Governor Dr. Hadiza Balarabe, had visited the injured in hospitals.
The governor prayed for the peaceful repose of the souls of the deceased persons and wished the injured persons speedy recovery.
Special Adviser to the Governor on Media and Communication, Muyiwa Adekeye, in a statement said while the evacuation of passengers from the scene of the attack had been completed, efforts are still being made to account for all the passengers, crew, and security officers on the train.
The statement said: “The Kaduna State Emergency Management Agency has issued a contact number 09088923398 for inquiries and information from family members of the passengers”
Army Chief Visits Scene Of Train Attack
The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Faruk Yahaya, has directed troops to intensify search and rescue operations in the Kaduna -Abuja train attack.
The COAS, who visited the scene of the attack, was accompanied by some principal staff officers of the Army Headquarters and the General Officer Commanding 1 Division.
On arrival at the scene, they assessed the security situation around the general area of the attack and inspected the attacked train, as well as the rail track to evaluate the degree of damage.
In a statement by the director, of Army Public Relations, Brig-Gen Onyema Nwachukwu, the COAS assured Nigerians that the troops will be undeterred and vehement in the fight against banditry and other forms of criminality.
He urged members of the surrounding communities and all Nigerians to continue to avail troops with credible information to enhance their operations across the country.
Kaduna Train Attack: PDP Condemns Attack
Meanwhile, the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday condemned the continuing insecurity and near worthlessness of the lives of Nigerians under the ‘insensitive’ All Progressives Congress (APC) government as evidenced by the vicious terrorist attack on innocent Nigerians traveling in a Kaduna State-bound train on Monday.
The party said the ambush of the train on the Abuja-Kaduna service by terrorists who killed many Nigerians, abducted scores of others in an operation that lasted for over an hour, again confirms PDP’s stance that the security command and control coordination structure under President Buhari had collapsed.
The national publicity secretary of PDP, Hon Debo Ologunagba, said more alarming is the fact this particular attack took place within two days of the deadly terrorist attack on the Kaduna International Airport on Saturday, March 26, 2022, in the same Kaduna State controlled by an APC government.
“The PDP insists that the complicity of silence by the Buhari administration on Saturday’s airport attack emboldened the terrorists to assault the train; a development which also validates PDP’s position that the APC administration has conceded sovereignty over parts of our country to terrorists,” Ologunagba said in a statement.
He recalled the confession by a former APC leader that these assailants are terrorists brought from neighboring countries by the APC as “political mercenaries” to rig the 2019 general elections.
“In 2021, over 10,366 Nigerians were killed by terrorists with over 2,900 abductions in countless terrorism-related attacks in which no fewer than 964 security agents were killed, as revealed by SB Morgen (SBM) Intelligence Report published in the Guardian Newspaper of Thursday, January 3, 2022.
“Those killed in 2021 represent a scary 47 percent increase in the 7063 massacres by terrorists in 2020. More alarming is that the killing spree has continued in 2022 unabated,” he said, adding that only last week, 50 innocent Nigerians were reportedly hacked to death by terrorists in the same Kaduna State.
