...As COAS orders troops to hunt down terrorists
A youth leader of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, Amin Mahmoud, a medical doctor, Chinelo Megafu Chinelo, secretary-general, Trade Union Congress, TUC, Barrister Musa Lawal-Ozigi were among the dead in the ill-fated Abuja-Kaduna train tragedy which occurred Monday night when terrorists detonated bombs that brought the train to a halt.
A staff of the National Board for Technical Education, NBTE, Abdul Kofar-Mata also died in the bloody attack. Also attacked was Mallam Ibrahim Wakkala, a former deputy governor of Zamfara state. Wakkala, was said to have been abducted by the terrorists but was later rescued by a combined team of security forces, mobilized to the scene of the event.
The terrorists, having succeeded in stopping the Kaduna-bound train, reportedly shot sporadically and held the stranded passengers, hostage, for over an hour.
Of the 970 passengers on board, about eight lost their lives at the time of filing this report while scores of others are receiving medical attention at various hospitals in Kaduna.
Dr Chinelo who worked at St. Gerard’s hospital, Kakuri, Kaduna, Vanguard gathered, would have travelled out of the country next week before her untimely death. Tweeting @nelo_x, Chinelo had shortly after the terrorists struck, taken to the micro-blogging site to inform her followers of the incident. “I am in the train. I have been shot. Please, pray for me,” she tweeted.
The death of Chinelo was confirmed by the Kaduna state branch of the Nigerian Medical Association, NMA earlier on Tuesday morning. In a condolence message signed by Dr Aisha Mustapha, secretary of the branch, the association prayed for the repose of the doctor in these words:
“Nigerian Medical Association, Kaduna state branch regrets to announce the death of one of her members, Dr Chinelo Megafu Nwando which sad event took place yesterday (Monday).
“She worked at St. Gerard’s Hospital, Kakuri and was a dedicated staff. May her soul rest peacefully and may her entire family be comforted.”
Another life lost to the terrorists’ attack is Farida Sule Mohammed, daughter of the national organizing secretary of the Peoples Redemption Party, PRP, Mallam Sule Mohammed.
“We have tragically and unfortunately lost Farida Sule Mohammed, a 29year old (almost 30 actually) daughter of our amiable national organizing secretary, Mallam Sule Mohammed, in the banditry attack of the Kaduna Abuja train yesterday.
“Our national chairman, Mallam Falalu Bello OFR, and the father of this slain heroine are currently at the hospital to collect the corpse. This indeed is a sober moment for the entire PRP family.
“While asking the Almighty Allah to grant her soul eternal rest, and to bring an end to evil in our nation, let us please remember this great family in our prayers,” a statement signed by Babatunde Alli, national secretary of the party read.
NRC mute on passengers’ manifest
Meanwhile, an attempt by our reporter to get the passengers’ manifest was unsuccessful as calls and messages made to Mahmoud Yakubu, Public Relations Officer of the Nigerian Railway Corporation, NRC, was not acknowledged.
Fish out terrorists responsible for train attack – COAS
Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen Faruk Yahaya, Tuesday, charged troops of the Nigerian Army to immediately fish out the terrorists responsible for Monday’s night attack on a Kaduna-bound train.
General Yahaya gave the directive on arrival at the scene of the attack while on an inspection visit.
The Chief of Army Staff, COAS, Lt. General Faruk Yahaya has today 29 March 2022 visited the scene of the Kaduna – Abuja train attack.
The COAS, who was accompanied by some principal staff officers of the Army Headquarters on arrival at the scene, 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.
He ordered the troops of the Nigerian Army and other security agencies to intensify their search and rescue operations to ensure that the kidnapped victims are rescued unconditionally.
General Yahaya further expressed the readiness of the Nigerian Army to defeat all forms of insurgency in the land.
He urged members of the adjourning communities and indeed all Nigerians to continue to avail troops with credible information to enable them to tackle criminality headlong.
