Abuja–Kaduna train attack

On 28 March 2022, an Abuja–Kaduna train was attacked in Katari, Kaduna State, Nigeria. In response, the Nigeria Railway Corporation (NRC) briefly halted operations along the route.[4][5]

Abuja–Kaduna train attack
Part of the Nigerian bandit conflict
LocationKatari, Kaduna State, Nigeria
Date28 March 2022
19:45 WAT[1] (UTC+1)
TargetPublic aboard Nigerian Railway Corporation trains
Attack type
Bombing, mass shooting, kidnapping
WeaponsImprovised explosive devices, firearms
DeathsAt least 60[2][3]
PerpetratorsNigerian bandits

Incident

At around 7:45 pm, hundreds of passengers travelling northwards on their way to Nigeria's northwest were kidnapped in Katari,[6] Kaduna State, while others were killed and injured by bandits who bombed an Abuja-Kaduna train.[7]

Approximately 970 passengers were on board,[8] and several may have been abducted into the bush by the marauding bandits who arrived on motorbikes holding firearms and other deadly weapons,[9][1] according to a passenger who escaped the onslaught.[10]

The train left Abuja's Idu station at 6 pm and was scheduled to arrive in Kaduna's Rigasa train station by 8 pm[11][12] According to eyewitness accounts, the train was bombed twice before the armed bandits opened fire at the passengers.[13] Although 26 passengers were officially declared missing, as of April 4, over 150 passengers are still unaccounted for.[14][15][16]

Killings

More than sixty people were killed including: Amin Mahmoud, a youth leader of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, Chinelo Megafu Chinelo, a medical doctor, Tibile Mosugu, a rising lawyer and son of Senior Advocate of Nigeria, and Barrister Musa Lawal-Ozigi, secretary-general, Trade Union Congress, TUC. [17][18]

Megafu Chinelo, a doctor, was declared dead hours after she said on Twitter that she had been shot on the Kaduna-bound train.[19] In a statement released on 28 March 2022, the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) verified this.[20][21] Chinelo tweeted shortly after the train from Abuja to Kaduna was attacked by terrorists: "I'm in the train, I have been shot. Please pray for me".[22]

Other recent attacks

The incident occurred in the broader context of the Nigerian bandit conflict, and took place two days after a bandit raid at Kaduna Airport, in which two personnel from the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) were slain and several other workers were kidnapped.[23] In October 2021, the NRC suspended operations on the route for the first time for the same reason.[24][25]

Aftermath

In the aftermath of the attack, the Nigerian Air Force conducted raids in the forest on the boundary of Niger State and Kaduna State, killing "no fewer than 34 terrorists," according to the Guardian.[26]

References
  1. "Many Feared Killed, Others Kidnapped As Bandits Attack Abuja-Kaduna Train". Channels Television. 29 March 2022. Retrieved 23 February 2022.
  2. Bankole Abe (29 March 2022). "Train attack: Number of persons feared dead rises as Tinubu says 60 were killed". International Centre for Investigative Reporting. Retrieved 5 April 2022.
  3. Kayode Oyero (29 March 2022). "Tinubu mourns Kaduna train attack victims, says over 60 passengers killed". The Punch. Retrieved 5 April 2022.
  4. "Suspected bandits attack Nigerian passenger train". Reuters. 29 March 2022. Retrieved 23 February 2022.
  5. "Gunmen attack Kaduna-bound train in Northern Nigeria". 28 March 2022. Retrieved 23 February 2022.
  6. "Rail staff killed in 'unprecedented' attack on train in Nigeria". TheGuardian.com. 29 March 2022. Retrieved 23 February 2022.
  7. "Loud blast, gunshots as suspected bandits attack Nigerian train". Reuters. 29 March 2022. Retrieved 23 February 2022.
  8. "About 900 passengers feared kidnapped as bandits bomb Abuja-Kaduna train". 28 March 2022. Retrieved 23 February 2022.
  9. "Abuja-Kaduna train: How bandits attack interstate train wey carry more dan 900 passengers". BBC News Pidgin. 29 March 2022. Retrieved 23 February 2022.
  10. "Suspected bandits attack passenger train in northern Nigeria". 29 March 2022. Retrieved 23 February 2022.
  11. "Again bandits attack train station in Kaduna". 29 March 2022. Retrieved 23 February 2022.
  12. "BREAKING Bandits Bomb Kaduna Train Station With Explosive Devices Hours After Train Bombing". 29 March 2022. Retrieved 23 February 2022.
  13. Nimi Princewill (1 April 2022). "Gunshots everywhere': Survivor of train ambushed by armed gang in Nigeria reveals harrowing details". Cable News Network. Retrieved 5 April 2022.
  14. "More Than 150 Still Missing After Kaduna Train Attack". Channels Television.
  15. Elian Peltier; Ben Ezeamalu (30 March 2022). "A Safe Route No More: Nigerians Mourn Victims of Deadly Train Attack". New York Times. Retrieved 5 April 2022.
  16. Abubakar Ahmadu Maishanu (4 April 2022). "One week after Kaduna train attack, 168 passengers still unaccounted for – NRC". Premium Times. Retrieved 5 April 2022.
  17. "Kaduna-Abuja train bomb NMA reacts to killing of Dr Chinelo, makes demands from Buhari govt". 29 March 2022. Retrieved 23 February 2022.
  18. "Abuja-Kaduna Train Attack: Politician, medical doctor, unionist among dead passengers". 29 March 2022. Retrieved 23 February 2022.
  19. "Abuja-Kaduna Train Attack: Doctor Confirmed Dead, Hours After Calling For Prayers". 29 March 2022. Retrieved 23 February 2022.
  20. "NMA mourns medical doctor, Chinelo, who died in Kaduna train attack". 29 March 2022. Retrieved 23 February 2022.
  21. "NMA mourns female doctor killed in Kaduna train attacks". 30 March 2022. Retrieved 23 February 2022.
  22. "Grief, anger over death of young Nigerian doctor in Abuja-Kaduna train attack". 29 March 2022. Retrieved 23 February 2022.
  23. "Nigeria: Train attack leaves several dead". Deutsche Welle. 29 March 2022. Retrieved 23 February 2022.
  24. "Halting bandits' threat to all modes of transport in Kaduna". 30 March 2022. Retrieved 23 February 2022.
  25. "Nigeria Railway Corporation confirms attack on Abuja-Kaduna train". 29 March 2022. Retrieved 23 February 2022.
  26. "Aftermath of Kaduna train bombing: Military raids kill scores of terrorists". The Guardian Nigeria News - Nigeria and World News. 1 April 2022. Retrieved 2 April 2022.
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