Survivors of the Abuja-Kaduna train attack on Thursday, recounted their experiences during the unfortunate incident that has so far, claimed about eight (8) lives; while so many other victims, writhed in pains at a Kaduna state based hospital.
According to Maimuna Ibrahim, a survivor of the attack, who spoke from her hospital bed in Kaduna state, the terrorists are teenagers between 18-21 years, who do not look like Nigerians, but they spoke a language similar to Fulani but not exactly so.
Maimuna said, it is very difficult to understand the terrorists language of communication, so no one can say exactly what they were actually saying.
She testified that after the bomb attack on the railroad, which suddenly happened even before passengers on board could fathom they have been attacked, the bandits cum terrorists started shooting sporadically and they succeeded in gaining entry into the train despite the security officers on duty reprisals.
Maimuna said, had it been the security officers have enough weapons, they could probably have overpowered the terrorists who had better and sophisticated weapons.
Survivor Maimuna Ibrahim
Maimuna’s Wounded Leg
The obviously traumatized Maimuna, again revealed that, a pregnant woman was shot in her womb during the encounter and many others sustained various degree of injuries including herself who was shot on her leg.
Maimuna said, the bandits succeeded in abducting a good number of people before the military reinforcement’s team came to tackle them, even when they were coming to kidnap the second batch of people.
She pleaded with the government to do something meaningful about the security situations across the country before it is too late.
Gov. El-Rufai During A Visit To The Hospital
Maimuna disagrees with Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna state position that train service should close between 4-5pm daily, with an opinion that, terrorists can attack at any time, be it day or night.
Her question bothered on how then will people travel to their various destinations? while also lamenting that, insecurity has affected all means of transportation in Nigeria be it by road, rails, air etc.
Maimuna, who was cut in the web of the attackers (terrorists) while returning from Abuja were she had gone to submit her CV for employment, explained how a soldier helped tie her bleeding leg and backed her to a nearby hospital where she is still receiving treatment.
She said, so far, no medical bill has been collected from her and other victims of the attack, for treatments received.
Another victim, who said he narrowly escape through bush path, told the Kaduna state government, who was on a visit to the hospital where the victims of the attack are being treated that, but for God he would have been killed if the terrorists had found him where he was hiding.
Another Survivor Of Abuja-Kaduna Train Attack
He said, it was a terrible experience that very Monday, but that it was a miracle he is alive.
He pleaded with Gov. El-Rufai that the government should do something about the state of insecurity in the country before it is too late.
Recall that, on the night of Monday March 28, an unspecified number of terrorists attacked a train along the Abuja-Kaduna railroad, abducting some people while some others were not so fortunate, as they lost their lives during the gory ordeal.
Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, who visited the scene of the attack on Tuesday, a day after the incident, expressed shock over the train attack, and he said,
“I am devastated, heartbroken by what I saw on a visit to the site of the Abuja-Kaduna train attack …”