Eight people have been confirmed dead in the Abuja-Kaduna train bombing by terrorists on Monday, March 28.
The train was forced to a halt after the terrorists planted bombs on the tracks. Witnesses said the attackers later surrounded most of the coaches and opened fire before they forcefully gained access, fired at random, which led to the death of some people.
They also forced some of the travellers, among them dozens of women and children out of the train into the nearby bushes.
Some witnesses said about nine corpses from the ill-fated train have been recovered and deposited at the 44 Nigerian Army Reference Hospital Kaduna, while doctors have been battling to save the lives of those who sustained critical gunshot wounds.
Other sources said those killed were between nine and ten, while the Kaduna State government and the ministry of transportation put the casualty figure at eight.
Many families have taken to the social media where they announced the death of their loved ones while others said theirs were still missing because they could not be accounted for by authorities while their telephone lines could not be reached.
Sources at the Rigasa Train Station said two staff of the Nigeria Railway Corporation (NRC) were among the casualties even though our correspondent could not independently confirm this.
The train, which was conveying 398 passengers reportedly left Abuja at about 6 pm on Monday before it was attacked between Katari and Rijana communities in Kaduna State.
The Secretary-General of the Trade Union Congress (TUC) of Nigeria, Barrister Musa-Lawal Ozigi, the Kwara State Chairman of the union, Comrade Akin Akinsola, a medical doctor working with Saint Gerald Hospital Kaduna, Dr Chinelo Megafu Nwando were among those killed by the terrorists.
(Daily Trust)