March 31, (THEWILL) – A survivor of the Kaduna train attack, Maimuna Ibrahim, said the terrorists who attacked the train on Monday, were between the ages of 18 and 22 years and they spoke in a language similar to those of the Fulani breed.
Ibrahim, who sustained bullet injuries on her thigh said the teenage terrorists were fair in complexion and had their heads covered with a turban.
She said that the attackers came in five Siena vehicles and overpowered the security personnel in the train.
They had detonated a bomb and caused the train to derail, giving them access to attack.
In an interview with Arise Television, and monitored by THEWILL, Ibrahim said the terrorists went to the VIP section of the train and kidnapped many of the passengers.
“We were 20 minutes away from Kaduna when the incident happened. As we were moving, we heard something like a bomb, but the train didn’t stop immediately. It continued moving, but there were gunshots all over. The terrorists kept shooting until the train finally stopped.
“So, they asked us to put off the light in the train, but the only light that got off was the one in Coach 20 where I was. They were busy shooting the windows and they managed to break the windows and they entered Coach 17 and the VIP section.
“So, when the terrorists were busy abducting the passengers in Coach 17 and the VIP section, I saw them, they were like three or four in the train. They were flogging and sending them out, saying ‘Allahu Akbar’.
“A patient here, who has now been discharged, told me that they brought five Siena cars and they filled them up with people. So, it was when they were coming back for more, that the Soldiers came.
“But I got shot in my leg, I think it was a flying bullet. I didn’t even notice it was a (gun)shot at that time because I didn’t feel the pain because of what was going on. I didn’t notice it was my leg that got shot.
“And yes, they were young guys between the ages of 18 to 20, the highest is 22 and they look like Fulani. They were speaking one language like that and they don’t look like Nigerians”, Ibrahim narrated.
The survivor, who is currently at the St Gerald hospital, Kaduna, receiving medical treatment came into Abuja on the said day to submit her Curriculum Vitae for a job and was returning to her base that evening, when the incident occurred.
The Kaduna State government as well as the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC), is yet to disclose the number of persons abducted, 72 hours after the attack.
The NRC had earlier said 398 passengers bought tickets for the trip, but 362 were validated as having boarded the train.
There were also reports that a Director of the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) and his family were among those abducted.
THEWILL reports that the Kaduna-bound train was on Monday night attacked by terrorists.
The 6pm train, which took off from Idu Train Station at the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), reportedly hit an explosive device about 30 minutes to Rigasa train station in Kaduna.
Eight passengers including Trade Union Congress (TUC) Secretary-General Musa Ozigi-Lawal, TUC Kwara State chapter Chairman Akin Akinsola, National Board of Technical Education (NBTE) director at Kaduna office, Abdul Isa Kofar-Mata and a dentist Dr Chinelo Nwando were confirmed killed and 41 others, injured
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