Following the uncertainty surrounding the numbers of passengers and victims of a terrorist attack on an Abuja-Kaduna train which killed eight people in Nigeria last week, the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) has revealed that it cannot account for 168 people.
NRC managing director Fidet Okhiria said in a statement late on Sunday that 168 people were unaccounted for but did not say if all were passengers or if some NRC staff were among them.
“Intensive work continues on track repairs. More concrete Sleepers were moved to the site while some sections of twisted tracks have been straightened. We remain grateful to the security agencies for all the support. We are very appreciative of Squadron Commander MOPOL 1 Kaduna’s visit to the accident site today.”
” The NRC will continue to update the general public of developments to prevent misleading information and falsehood,” he added.
Slamreportafrica.com reported last week that several passengers on board an Abuja-Kaduna train were feared killed after bandits attacked the train with bombs and IED explosives on Monday night.
Nigeria’s Minister for Transport, Rotimi Amaechi later that week said 398 passengers were on board, although the Kaduna State Government said 362 were validated as having boarded. The minister claimed 41 persons were receiving treatment while the number of missing persons couldn’t be ascertained.
“We don’t have all the figures of missing persons, kidnapped and those injured at the moment but the numbers we have is that there are eight casualties.” The minister said.
Although no group has claimed responsibility for the attack, terrorist activities have taken an upward trend in Nigeria since the deadly Boko Haram sect based in North-Eastern Nigeria, which is also active in Chad, Niger and northern Cameroon was founded in 2002.
Some sessions of the media are reporting that relatives of the missing have said suspected bandits had contacted them to say they were holding their loved ones and haggling for ransom before the hostages are released.