Many are feared injured, abducted as bandits attack an Abuja-Kaduna train.
Glamtush reports that a train conveying passengers from Abuja to Kaduna has been attacked by gunmen suspected to be bandits in Kaduna State.
Many passengers are feared injured while several others were said to have been kidnapped by the assailants.
It was gathered that some of the 970 passengers on board might have been abducted by the bandits.
This is coming a few days after the terrorists attacked the Kaduna International Airport where an aircraft was prevented from taking off.
Although the police authorities are yet to confirm the attack, it was gathered that the incident happened on Monday night.
A source told our correspondent that “they (terrorists) planted IED. When it went off, it derailed the train. There was pandemonium every and some people may be kidnapped.”
The bandits reportedly attacked the train around Dutse axis in Kaduna, just a few kilometres to the Rigasa Train Station in Igabi Local Government Area of the state.
One of the passengers on the train told Channels Television that the bandits bombed the train track with an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) which forced the train to derail.
Upon the stoppage of the train, the assailants were said to have begun to fire gunshots sporadically.
He added that the terrorists later forced their way into the train and kidnapped an unspecified number of people, with some others feared killed.
Meanwhile, troops have been mobilised to the scene of the attack to rescue the remaining passengers.
Another passenger on the train, Anas Danmusa, took to his Facebook handle to cry for help.
He wrote, “Please this is an emergency. We are inside train at the moment. Kidnappers planted explosives and the train engines have been ruined. We are helpless. Abuja to Kaduna train. Gunshots still being fired right around us. We are just under the seats praying to God while waiting for help. Since 8pm we hv bn here. Btw Katari to Rijana. I am a living witness…”
According to him, nobody could come to their rescue about one hour into the incident as the assailants tried to force their way into the train.
“There is bad network where we are at the moment. It is just luck that I am able to type this. They are actually trying to force themselves inside the train…no help yet. Over 1 hour,” Anas Danmusa wrote.
After about 20 minutes later, Danmusa confirmed that army personnel have arrived at the scene of the attack.
He wrote, “Alhamdulillah! The army are with us. We are safe!!!”
