Follow Us on Google
While tears are still flowing following Monday’s attack on an Abuja-Kaduna bound, terrorists again hit another train station in a fresh attack, yesterday.
The attack occurred at the Gidan train station along the Abuja-Kaduna rail track. It is the second attack within 24 hours along the same axis.
At least, eight persons, including a director with National Board for Technical Eduction (NBTE), Abdul Kofar-Mata, General Secretary of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), Musa-Lawal Ozigi, Kwara State Chairman of TUC, Akinsola Akinwunmi, a medical doctor with Kaduna-based Catholic hospital, St. Gerrard’s Hospital, Chinelo Megafu, who were aboard the Abuja-Kaduna train attacked on Monday night have been confirmed dead.
Other casualties include security personnel and staff of the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) simply identified as Loretta and Abdul.
The gunmen had opened fire on the train after they detonated improvised explosives (IED) on the rail track.
TUC president, Quadri Olaleye, confirmed the death of the two unionists: “It’s a sad situation we’re now as a Congress. We were to be on the same train, but he missed it and joined the next one along with his wife who is presently in the hospital responding to treatment as she was also shot on the head.”
No fewer than 41 passengers, including former deputy governor of Zamfara State, Ibrahim Wakkala, an aspirant in the just-concluded National Convention of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the North West Zonal Youth Leadership and Muhammad Amin Mahmood were injured while others are still missing.
There were 970 passengers aboard the train. In a message posted on its booking website, NRC said it had suspended services on the route.
A survivor narrated his experience: “We were like 30 minutes to Rigasa train terminal when we heard a loud explosion. Immediately, the train halted and we all flung about because of the way it stopped. From what I observed, the attackers were expecting the train to derail. But when the train stopped before their calculated spot, we started hearing gunfire from all around.”
