TheNewsGuru

Tag: Abuja-Kaduna Train

  • NRC gives reason for Abuja-Kaduna train derailment at Asha station

    NRC gives reason for Abuja-Kaduna train derailment at Asha station

    The Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) has disclosed that the removal of the track fastening clips by vandals caused the technical hitch experienced on the Abuja-Kaduna train route on Wednesday evening.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) recalls that many passengers were left stranded in the Federal Capital territory, (FCT) after the train travelling from Abuja to Kaduna derailed at Asha station.

    In a statement signed by the Deputy Director of Public Relations, Yakub Mahmood, the NRC management apologized for the inconvenience caused, assuring it commitment in ensuring the safety of its passengers

    Mahmood further noted that all passengers on board were safely returned to Abuja, adding that their tickets remain valid for a subsequent journey within two weeks.

    The statement reads: “This evening (Wednesday), the Management of Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) experienced train technical hitch in our operation at Asham Railway Station in Chikun Local Government of Kaduna State. The passengers on board were safely returned to Abuja (Idu). Meanwhile, their tickets remain valid for a subsequent journey within two weeks.

    “This minor hitch is attributed to the removal of track fastening clips by vandals. However, the NRC Management remains resolute towards ensuring the safety of our valued passengers in the entire system.

    “For operational reasons, the first train from Kaduna (Rigasa) scheduled for 08.00hours will be cancelled on Thursday 6th June, 2024 only, while all other train services will run as scheduled.

    “NRC Management deeply regret the inconveniences that this technical hitch might have caused our esteemed passengers.”

  • DSS raises alarm over plans to attack Abuja-Kaduna train

    DSS raises alarm over plans to attack Abuja-Kaduna train

    Plans by Boko Haram terrorists to attack the Abuja-Kaduna train have been uncovered by the Department of State Service.

    This was disclosed in a memo warning the Federal Ministry of Transportation of the imminent threat to launch a fresh attack on the Abuja-Kaduna train service.

    Reacting to the memo, the Ministry of Transportation wrote to the Federal Minister of Defence, Maj Gen Bashir Magashi, asking for security reinforcement to forestall the terrorist attack.

    The letter dated, February 3, 2023, and titled,?Re: Threat by Boko Haram terrorists to attack the Abuja-Kaduna Train Service? was signed by Mu?azu Jaji Sambo, the Transportation Minister.

    It reads: ?We are in receipt of a letter reference, S.314/31/C/5390, dated February 1, 2023, from the Department of State Services in respect of the above subject matter. It is our considered opinion that the Honourable Minister of Defence, as a matter of urgency, graciously convenes a meeting of all relevant stakeholders for the purpose of reviewing the reported alert with a view to ensuring that everything necessary to forestall any such occurrence is adequately dealt with.?

    Recall that Islamic terrorists attacked the Abuja-Kaduna train on March 28, 2022, killing eight passengers and wounding many. They also kidnapped 168 passengers who were later released in batches.

    See Photos:

  • BREAKING: Terrorists chief negotiator, Mamu allegedly arrested in Egypt

    BREAKING: Terrorists chief negotiator, Mamu allegedly arrested in Egypt

     

    The chief negotiator between Federal Government and Abuja-Kaduna train attackers, Tukur Mamu has been arrested in Egypt.

    Reports monitored by TheNewsGuru.com, (TNG) indicate Alhaji Tukur Mamu Mamu, who was negotiating between bandits and the families of abducted passengers of the Abuja-Kaduna train, was arrested in Cairo, the capital of Egypt.

    Tukur Mamu according to reports was arrested alongside his family members on his way to Saudi Arabia for lesser Hajj.
    He was detained at the Cairo International Airport for 24 hours and is being repatriated to Nigeria.

    Details concerning the arrest are still very sketchy as at the time of filing this report.
    More details shortly

  • Abuja-Kaduna Train Attack: Terrorist release three victims, keep 40 in custody

    Abuja-Kaduna Train Attack: Terrorist release three victims, keep 40 in custody

    Three out of the remaining 43 abductees from the Abuja-Kaduna train attack have been released from the terrorist camp on Monday morning.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that the remaining 43 victims still in Custody as of Sunday were being openly flogged by the terrorists.

    The terrorists also openly threatened to kidnap President Muhammad Buhari and  Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna state.

    The three victims two males and a female might have been among those who received serious beating on Sunday.

    They were, however, released around 11 am Monday, their relatives picked them up along the Kaduna-Abuja road

    DSP Mohammed Jalige, Kaduna Police Public Relations Officer did not pick up his calls for confirmation.

    The families of the abducted persons staged another protest on Monday morning in Abuja asking for the release of their relations still in the custody of the terrorists.

  • Kaduna-Abuja train attack: Terrorists release seven abducted persons

    Kaduna-Abuja train attack: Terrorists release seven abducted persons

    Seven persons who were among those abducted by terrorists that attacked the Abuja-Kaduna bound AK9 train on March, 28 have been released.

    Recall that the terrorists had earlier threatened to kill the remaining 51 persons in their custody if their demands to Federal Government are not met.

    The terrorists have now made a U-turn by releasing seven of the 51 persons still in their custody.

    Meanwhile, Malam Tukur Mamu who has been serving as an intermediary between the Federal Government and the bandits has said that the seven persons have been released through his singular effort.

    However, the relatives and friends of the abducted passengers on Thursday, vowed to take over the streets and occupy key government facilities in Abuja and Kaduna in protest to demand the release of their loved ones in the kidnappers’ den for more than 100 days.

     

  • Abuja-Kaduna Train Attack: Bandits threaten to slaughter victims

    Abuja-Kaduna Train Attack: Bandits threaten to slaughter victims

    Ansaru terrorists, the bandit group, which  has claimed responsibility for the attack and abduction of Kaduna-Abuja train passengers in early March, has  threatened to slaughter the remaining 51 victims still in their custody.

    Recall that Tukur Mamu, who is a publisher  has been serving as  negotiator between the bandits and the Federal Government and he recently  informed the families and the public of how the abductees are being bitten by snakes and reptiles.

    He later confirmed that one of the victims was shot, as a warning to hasten the response to the agreement between the Federal Government and the bandits.

    However, in an audio in circulation, which is believed to be a voice of one of the group members,  threatened to slaughter the victims because the government failed to negotiate  their release.

    Meanwhile, Mamu has confirmed to newsmen that the audio is real adding that Wednesday June 6th  has been picked to carry out the threats.

    According to him, they became provoked on Monday after giving us another opportunity.

    “I was crying and pleading with them that since there is a delay from the government, they should discuss with the family members directly to negotiate the victims’ release.

    “Based on the plea, they agreed to negotiate directly with the victims’ families.

    “But they said they are giving us till Wednesday, that if there was nothing concrete from those that are interested in the negotiation, they will start slaughtering some of the victims,” he said.

  • TRAIN ATTACK: Terrorists sneak in doctor to attend to pregnant passenger during delivery in their den

    TRAIN ATTACK: Terrorists sneak in doctor to attend to pregnant passenger during delivery in their den

    An abducted pregnant woman, who was among passengers abducted on the Abuja-Kaduna train, has given birth in the terrorists’ den, after a medical practitioner was sneaked in to attend to her.

     

    This was disclosed by a family member of the victim, who added that she was delivered of the baby at the weekend.

     

    The victim is one of the two pregnant women abducted by the terrorists in the attack on Kaduna-bound train on Monday, March 28, 2022.

     

    It was gathered that the woman was 8 months pregnant at the time of the incident.

     

    According to the victim’s relative, the terrorists sneaked a medical doctor into their enclave to take delivery of the baby.

     

    “They contacted us and broke the news to us that she gave birth at the weekend. Even though, they did not tell us whether it was a boy or a girl.

     

    “The woman who was reportedly eight months pregnant at the time of the attack, gave birth safely after the terrorists were said to have invited the medical personnel to attend to her. The state of health of the baby is however unknown.”

     

    “According to reports by family sources, she gave birth with the aid of doctors brought in by the terrorists.

     

    “We can also report that the terrorists are demanding the release of their top commanders in exchange for the abducted train passengers,” a source said.

     

    However, Nigerians have marvelled at how organised and coordinated the terrorists were considering the way they’ve been able to get food and medical supplies into the forest.

     

    Families of the kidnapped victims have expressed their willingness to negotiate with the terrorists in order to secure the release of their loved ones.

     

    The representative of the families of the victims, Dr. Abdulfatai Jimoh, stated this in an interview in Kaduna, on Wednesday, April 27, 2022.

  • Kidnappers of Abuja-Kaduna train passengers release pictures of 62 victims

    Kidnappers of Abuja-Kaduna train passengers release pictures of 62 victims

    Four pictures of 62 kidnapped victims of an attacked Abuja-Kaduna train on March 28 have been released by their abductors.

     

    In the pictures released on Tuesday, 62 of the kidnapped victims are seen in four groups.

     

    The first photo has 23 persons, including five children (two females and three males) and 18 women.

     

    Among them is the 85-year-old woman said to be diabetic.

     

    The second photo shows 17 men, including a foreigner.

     

    The third photo shows six of the victims sitting, one of whom has a bandage wrapped on his right leg.

     

    The fourth photo shows 16 people.

     

    It is the third time the terrorists would release evidence that their captives are alive.

     

    The first photo was released during the release of Managing Director of Bank of Agriculture, Alwan Ali-Hassan.

     

    The other was a video showing victims begging the government to grant the terrorists’ demands.

     

    It was reported after the attack that 68 captives were with the bandits, including 41 women, 22 men and five children.

     

    The Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) is unsure of the exact number of those abducted.

     

    The terrorists used clothes to block the background on the photographs as the abductees sat on a tarpaulin.

     

    They blew up rail tracks on the Abuja-Kaduna route during the attack, killing eight passengers. No fewer than 41 people were injured.

     

    Ali-Hassan, who is the only released captive released so far, had told those who visited him that they were subjected to five days of trekking from the attack scene to a forest in Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger State.

  • Tinubu visits El-Rufai, donates 50 million naira to the train victims

    Tinubu visits El-Rufai, donates 50 million naira to the train victims

    The National leader of All progressives Congress, APC and presidential hopeful Bola Ahmed Tinubu paid a courtesy visit to the Kaduna state Governor, Nasir El-Rufai to commiserate with him over the Abuja-Kaduna train tragedy that happened last week Tuesday and the recent incessant bandits attacks in the state.

    Tinubu donated the sum of 50 Million naira to victims of the train attack.

    He went in company of the ex-Governor of Borno state, Senator Kashim Shettima,Speaker House of Reps,Yakubu Dogara and Senator Abu Ibrahim.

    Tinubu ,Shettima and other dignitaries on the trip were received by El-Rufai and senators Sani and Suleiman Abdu Kwri in the state.

    Tinubu had described the train mishap as a big tragedy and a national disaster

     

    ”Everybody should be concerned about the attacks going on in Kaduna state which have claimed hundreds of lives and properties in recent times. He said

    He posited that Killings, terrorism and banditry are no longer acceptable in the country, saying it must be nipped in the bud.

    He, however, advised the El-Rufai not to be dettered by the unfortunate incidents that have bedeviled the state in recent times saying he should continue to strive to deliver quality governance to the people of Kaduna state.

     

  • Abuja-Kaduna train attack: NRC confirms safety of 170 passengers

    Abuja-Kaduna train attack: NRC confirms safety of 170 passengers

    The Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) has confirmed the safety of about 170 passengers that were on board the attacked AK9 Abuja to Kaduna train on March 28.
    Mr Fidet Okhiria, the NRCs Managing Director, said in a statement on Saturday that the corporation was however collaborating with relevant authorities to ensure safety of the other passengers.
    ”The Corporation, in continuation of its concerted effort through repeated calls, has been able to confirm the safety of 170 passengers, while 21 passengers are reported missing by the relatives who made calls to us.
    ”The corporation is seriously collaborating with the security agencies who had already swung into action, in line with the directive of Mr President to do everything possible to rescue all those that are still missing,” he said.
    Okhiria stated that the corporation had also heavily moved human and material resources to the accident site to ensure resumption of train services without further delays.
    He said the move was to reduce the stress currently faced by its passengers in getting to their destinations.
    He said:’ ‘In practical terms, a high powered restoration team, led by Directors have been working round the clock to re-rail the coaches affected by the bomb blast.
    ”There is a coordinated two-pronged simultaneous restoration approach. While Loco 2702 with re-railment and restoration materials departed Idu Station, Abuja, to the bomb blast site.
    ”Another team with Loco 2502 departed Rigasa Station, Kaduna, with re-railment and restoration materials to the same site.
    ”I am happy to inform you that as at the close of work on the 1st of April 2022, Coaches SP00004, SP00009, SP00012, SP00013 have all been re-railed and safely taken to our Rigasa Station in Kaduna.
    ”Restoration of track for full resumption of normal train services will continue today, 2nd April 2022.”
    On safety, the NRC boss said arrangements had been put in place for increased security along the track and on board the train to prevent the recurrence of the unfortunate incident.
    He consoled families of victims of the attack, saying ”be assured that the corporation is with you in this challenging time”.
    Recall that on March 28, suspected bandits attacked the last evening train, AK9 on the Abuja–Kaduna train service with explosives.
    This led to the death of some passengers and destruction of the train and track.
    Due to the level of damage on the track and in honour of those that lost their lives, the corporation suspended train operations on the affected route.
    Newsmen reports that there were 11 coaches on the train worked by Loco 2502, which is made up of four SPA Coaches with 56 sitting capacity per coach and seven SP Coaches with 88 sitting capacity per coach.
    Thus, the total seat capacity of the train is 840 seats. The Train Manifest contained 362 validated passengers aboard the train.