SaharaReporters learnt that the NRC had yet to reach its engineers or the driver onboard the ill-fated train, adding to the anxiety of the already distressed passengers.
Passengers onboard a Nigerian Railway Corporation train travelling from Abuja to Kaduna are currently stranded after a terrorists’ attack derailed the train on Monday evening.
SaharaReporters learnt that the NRC had yet to reach its engineers or the driver onboard the ill-fated train, adding to the anxiety of the already distressed passengers.
“The management of the Nigeria Railway Corporation claims they haven’t been able to speak with the train engineers and the driver. The train was travelling to Kaduna and was already 45 minutes from Rigasa Police Station.
“Even though the Nigeria Army states they’ve arrived and secured the trains and passengers, the management still hasn’t been able to touch base with the crew. They are not sure if the military has secured it or not.
“They are on standby to send another coach from Abuja. The train tracks were bombed and the train was derailed. The terrorists derailed the whole train,” one of the sources explained.
SaharaReporters earlier reported that that the attack was still ongoing as of 9.42pm press time, while security agencies had yet to deploy to the scene.
One of the passengers who confirmed the incident in a telephone call said the attackers had surrounded the train and were shooting sporadically.
“All the passengers are currently lying on the floor of the train. The bandits are shooting sporadically. We are in serious danger,” said one of the panic-stricken passengers.
There are at least 970 passengers onboard the train, according to official sources familiar with the train service.