Death toll rises as govt evacuates stranded passengers following Abuja-Kaduna train attack
The death toll from the attacked Abuja-Kaduna train rose Tuesday morning as a lady passenger who tweeted immediately after the accident soliciting prayers was confirmed dead. Two people had died immediately after the attack.
This is even as Kaduna State Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Samuel Aruwan, said that the evacuation of passengers on the trapped train has been concluded this morning by security forces, officials of Kaduna State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) and the Nigerian Red Cross.
“Passengers who had sustained injuries, and other fatalities, have been moved to hospitals,” Aruwan said in a statement he released on Tuesday morning.
The statement said that passengers were evacuated from different hard-to-reach areas in forests and rocky locations in Audujongom, off the Kaduna-Abuja Road.
“As stated yesterday (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.
“Governor Nasir El-Rufai who commended all those who participated in the evacuation appealed to the hospitals to attend to the victims diligently.
“The governor also directed the Ministry of Health to be in contact with the hospitals as the government will bear the cost of their treatment.
“As of the time of this update, search-and-rescue operations are in progress,” the statement added.
