TheNewsGuru

Tag: train

  • BREAKING: In less than 24hrs another train station attacked In Kaduna

    BREAKING: In less than 24hrs another train station attacked In Kaduna

    Nigeria on the precipice as in less than 24hours another train station has been attacked along Abuja-Kaduna rail track.

    This is coming on the heels of the bombed train at the Rigasa rail line according to monitored reports on a national TV station.

    Sources say the terrorists may have planted IEDs on the tracks forcing the train heading to Abuja from Kaduna to a stop.

    This is the second attack within 24 hours along the same axis.

    Several persons were killed when terrorists attacked a train at Dutse village on Monday as former Deputy governor among others were and scores of people killed.

    Details to follow…

  • Bombed train: Sad! Nigerians react over female doctor who died after tweeting of gun shot wounds

    Bombed train: Sad! Nigerians react over female doctor who died after tweeting of gun shot wounds

    Mixed reactions have trailed death of Nigerian female doctor on board ill-fated Abuja-Kaduna bound train last Monday identified as Chinelo who died after tweeting of gun shot wounds.

    The doctor identified as Chinelo, had taken to her Twitter handle last night to ask people to pray for her after she sustained a gunshot injury during the attack.

    She tweeted:

    ”I’m in the train . I have been shot please pray for me.”

    Her friend via his Twitter handle this morning disclosed that she didn’t make it.

    ”Just woke up to a sad news My friend just woke up to losing a close friend who was shot at the Abuja Kaduna train incident by terrorists She tweeted yesterday that we should pray for her. Sadly she didn’t make it. She was a Doctor Nigeria why..I’m heartbroken

    I was just here yesterday tweeting and asking if there were medical personnels on the train who could offer emergency services And some people were here saying why will I think of such a thing..really?..for basic first aid to be provided for injured May Nigeria not happen to us.

  • We have evacuated all trapped passengers in Kaduna-bound train – Kaduna govt

    We have evacuated all trapped passengers in Kaduna-bound train – Kaduna govt

    The Kaduna State Government says the evacuation of passengers trapped in the Kaduna-bound train from Abuja has been concluded this morning by security forces.

    The Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Mr Samuel Aruwan, stated in a statement issued on Tuesday in Kaduna.

    He said that officials of Kaduna State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) and Nigerian Red Cross were part of the evacuation of the victims.

    Aruwan said the passengers who sustained injuries and other fatalities had also been moved to hospitals.

    He disclosed that the passengers were evacuated from different hard-to-reach areas in forests and rocky locations in Audujongom, off the Kaduna-Abuja road.

    “As stated on Monday, the Kaduna State Government is still liaising with the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) to ascertain the list from the passengers manifest for efficient tracking,” he said.

    The Commissioner said Gov. Nasir El-Rufai who commended all those who participated in the evacuation process also appealed to the hospitals to attend to the victims diligently.

    He said the governor also directed the Ministry of Health to be in contact with the hospitals as government will bear the cost of their treatments.

    “As of the time of this update, search-and-rescue operations are in progress,” Aruwan said.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that a passenger train heading to Kaduna from Abuja was attacked by some criminal elements late hours on Monday night where some passengers were injured.

  • NRC suspends rail activities along the Abuja-Kaduna route

    NRC suspends rail activities along the Abuja-Kaduna route

    The Nigeria Railway Corporation (NRC) has temporarily suspended its service along the Abuja-Kaduna route, due to unforeseen circumstances.

    NRC, via its official Twitter page on Tuesday morning, made the announcement.

    Recall that the Abuja-Kaduna train, with passengers onboard, was attacked by terrorists on Monday night.

    The gunmen were said to have blown up the rail track, forcing the 1000-capacity train to derail around Rijana, a village on the rail corridor in Kaduna.

    The statement read: “Dear passengers, due to unforeseen circumstances, Train operations along the Abuja-Kaduna route has been temporarily suspended.

    “Further Communication would be given in due course.”

  • Witness narrates how passengers were shot, abducted on attacked Abuja-Kaduna train

    Witness narrates how passengers were shot, abducted on attacked Abuja-Kaduna train

    There are several reports circulating about last night’s bomb attack on Kaduna-bound train from Abuja, that there are passengers who were shot and abducted by the suspected terrorists.

    TheNewsGuru reports that security forces, consisting of the Nigerian Army, Police and Airforce were said to have engaged in gunfire and overpowered the armed terrorist who blew off the rail track.

    However, the Managing Director, Nigeria Railway Corporation (NRC), Fidet Okhiria has confirmed the attack on the Abuja-Kaduna, saying ‘We have confirmed the attack, but we cannot give you much information right now’.

    ”From the reports we have gotten, most of the passengers have gone into hiding and the officials on board are yet to give us a report of the situation.

    ”There are reports of gunshots and the train derailed due to the attack,” Okhiria said.

    But one of the passengers on the train identified as Anas Danmusa said the attackers fired several gunshots.

    Danmusa said passengers had to hide under the seats until security operatives arrived the scene.

    “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 8 pm we have been here. Between Katari to Rijana. I am a living witness,” he initially tweeted.

    He later wrote back to confirm the presence of security operatives, saying, “We are safe now.”

    But another passenger said the terrorists forced their way into the ill-fated train and abducted some persons.

    The passenger also said he counted six people with bullet wounds but could not say if they were dead.

    “There are six people we have counted with bullet wounds, there may be more but so far this is what I can confirm. Security agents are trying to get them medical attention,” he said.

    “We also learnt that the bandits forced their way into some coaches and have abducted some people.”

    Zainab Musa, another passenger, described the attack as shocking.

  • No concrete information on Abuja-Kaduna train attack – NRC

    No concrete information on Abuja-Kaduna train attack – NRC

    Mr Fidet Okhiria, the Managing Director, Nigeria Railway Corporation (NRC), has confirmed the attack on the Abuja-Kaduna train by suspected terrorists on Monday night.

    Okhiria however said that ”information concerning the attack was still sketchy, and no concrete information could be given at the moment.

    ”We have confirmed the attack, but we cannot give you much information right now.

    ”From the reports we have gotten, most of the passengers have gone into hiding and the officials on board are yet to give us a report of the situation.

    ”There are reports of gunshots and the train derailed due to the attack,” Okhiria said.

    Recall that a Kaduna bound train was last night attacked by terrorists who bombed the rail tracks and derailed the train. They, thereafter, started shooting sporadically into the air until a combined team of security forces confronted them and reportedly rescued the about 970 trapped passengers.

    The incident happened between Katari and Rijana train stations, as the train was en route Kaduna from Abuja.

  • Just In: Security forces rescue 970 passengers on Abuja-Kaduna train

    Just In: Security forces rescue 970 passengers on Abuja-Kaduna train

    Latest news reaching TheNewsGuru.com indicates that a combined security team of the Armed Forces sent on a rescue mission to the trapped passengers of the bombed Abuja to Kaduna train may have gained the upper hand against the terrorists.

    Though no official confirmation has been made, some eye-witness claim the passengers estimated to be about 970 may have been rescued.

    According to these reports, the security operatives overpowered the group of suspected terrorists who blew off the rail track after a heavy exchange of gunfire.

    The terrorists blew off the rail track between Rijana and Katari in Kaduna State and surrounded the train shooting sporadically into the air before the combined security forces launched the rescue and overpowered them.

    The Managing Director of the Nigerian Railway Corporation in an AriseTv interview moments ago confirmed the initial terrorists attack on the Kaduna bound train.

    According to Anas Iro Danmusa, “Alhamdulillah! The army are with us. We are safe!!!”

     

     

  • BREAKING: Terrorists bomb Kaduna-Abuja train, 970 trapped

    BREAKING: Terrorists bomb Kaduna-Abuja train, 970 trapped

    AKaduna-bound train on Monday was attacked by suspected terrorists after explosives believed to be planted on the rail track went off around Katari area of the State.

    According to reports reaching TheNewsGuru.com, the 6pm train which took off from Idu Train Station at the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) hit an explosive device about 30 minutes to Rigasa train station in Kaduna.

    Former senator, Shehu Sani wrote on his Twitter handle: to confirm the report, ‘Villagers along Abuja-Kaduna road called to confirm hearing multiple gunshots and attack on the Abuja-Kaduna train by terrorists’.

    There are said to be about 970 passengers trapped in the train.

    Unconfirmed reports indicate that the terrorists immediately surrounded the train, shooting sporadically.

    There are indications that a combined team of military personnel have been dispatched to the spot and efforts to rescue the passengers are on going.

    Phone calls to the Transportation minister and the Managing Director of the Nigerian Railway Corporation went unanswered as at press time

    Details to follow…

  • Ibadan-Lagos fuel saga: Reps move to probe NRC over train breakdown

    Ibadan-Lagos fuel saga: Reps move to probe NRC over train breakdown

    The House of Representatives on Tuesday resolved to conduct an investigative hearing into why the Ibadan-Lagos railway breakdown that left so many Nigerians stranded.

    To this end, the House in session mandated its committee on Transport to do a status inquiry of Nigeria Railway corporation and its inadequacies and report back to the house within 4 (four) weeks.

    This was sequel too a motion of urgent public importance entitled: “Need to investigate the Ibadan- Lagos train fuel saga” raised at plenary by the House minority leader, Ndudi Elumelu (PDP, Delta).

    Raising the motion, Elumelu cited that in recent times , there have been series of media reports of how passenger trains breakdown in the middle of nowhere for lack of maintenance thereby subjecting commuters to possible attacks by hoodlums and armed robbers who can brutalise, maim and cart away hard earned monies and goods of innocent Nigerians.

    The Minority leader of the House further pointed that another sad episode happened on Thursday the 11th day of march 2022 , where a train conveying passengers and goods from lagos to Ibadan came to a halt midway due to insufficient fuel , once again endangering the lives of innocent Nigerian travellers on the trip.

    He expressed concern that another of the operational incompetence of the NRC is the issue of ticket racketeering and hoarding to the public thereby undermining government revenue which inhibit target loan repayment and constitute economic sabotage

    According to him, this episode exposes the carelessness, irresponsibility and incompetence of the management of the Nigeria railway corporation to effectively and efficiently manage the sector.

    The lawmaker while being disturbed explained that “for a train to leave the station with insufficient fuel only to get stuck midway into the journey with traumatised and stranded passengers, is a huge national embarrassment which not only makes our nation a laughing stock in the eyes of the international community but a complete system failure”.

    “The excuse by Fidelis Okhiria the Managing Director of NRC is not just laughable but points to the inability of the management to effectively conduct routine standard operational checks thereby raising serious issues about the safety and reliability of our rail services which must be seriously investigated”, he said.

    He expressed worry that if these irresponsible and careless act by the NRC is not effectively tackled and nipped at the bud, it may one day lead to a major disaster where innocent Nigerians will end up losing their lives, hence the need for this motion.

    To this end, the House adopted the motion when the Speaker, Femi Gbajabiamila called for voice vote after debates from members who mostly supported the motion.

    The Nigeria railway corporation under the supervision of the ministry of transport came into existence 112yrs ago for the purposes of easy and cheap movement of bulk goods and commuters from hinterlands to seaports and vice versa and its first rail business activities was commenced with the construction of the Lagos / Ibadan rail line.

  • NRC states why Ibadan -bound train ran out of fuel

    NRC states why Ibadan -bound train ran out of fuel

    The Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) has reacted to a viral video showing that one of its trains ran out of fuel and stopped in the middle of a forest en route Ibadan from Lagos.

    NRC Managing Director, Fidet Okhiria, made it known in Lagos on Thursday night that the incident was caused by fuel gauge failure on the passenger train service.

    She also explained that passengers coming to Lagos from Ibadan through the standard gauge train were not stranded as the matter was resolved within an hour.

    “The train gauge had an issue while the engineers thought the diesel in the train tank would take them to Lagos.

    “The train gauge was not reading correctly, so by the time they started moving, the driver discovered that there is no sufficient diesel in the train.

    “Immediately they discovered the challenge, they responded quickly and under an hour they were able to get drum of diesel to fill the tank and continued the journey back to Lagos,” Okhiria said.

    The train conveying commuters to Ibadan ran out of fuel and stopped, however, NRC made provisions for it to be refilled before the continuation of the journey.