Some of the victims of the attack have begun to narrat their experiences from their hospital beds at the 44 Nigerian Army Reference Hospital and St Gerard Catholic Hospital, Kaduna.
Though the identities of those killed by the terrorists had yet to be ascertained, but one of the victims, Fatima Shuaibu, a student on board the train, confirmed that her sister, Zainab, was shot in the stomach and died.
Fatima, a student of the College of Education, Gidan Waya, Kaduna State, while fighting back tears, narrated how her sister was shot in the stomach by the terrorists and died on the spot.
She explained that as the train was approaching Kaduna, they suddenly heard a loud explosion, which forced the train to derail.
The student said the security personnel onboard the train ordered everybody to lie face down.
She added that before they could lie down, her sister, Zainab Awal, was shot in the stomach and she died on the spot, adding that the terrorists operated for two hours unhindered before the arrival of troops.
Fatima disclosed that the terrorists came in buses and motorcycles, adding that those who were abducted were taken away in the buses.
She stated, “I was seated by the window on the train. Suddenly I started seeing light. It was around 8pm. Then there was a loud bang as if something exploded. Suddenly the train derailed. As soon as the train stopped, we started hearing gunshots.
“The security personnel on the train announced that everybody should lie down on the floor of the train. My sister, Zainab Awal, was shot in the stomach and she died. They attacked the VIP coach, they abducted some people and took them to the bush; they shot other people. They operated for about two hours before soldiers and Air Force men arrived and they exchanged gunshots.
“The terrorists were small boys of between 18 and 20 years. I saw them; they don’t look like Nigerians. The soldiers rescued us on the train. They evacuated us. Those of us, who were injured, were evacuated from the train. They climbed the cliff with us and took us to the expressway, where vehicles were brought to convey us. From there, they brought us to the hospital. The incident happened around 7.50pm.”
Another passenger, Maimuna Ibrahim, said the attackers were chanting, ‘Allah Akbar’ (Allah is the greatest).
Speaking from her hospital bed, Maimuna said that the attackers, who mostly communicated in Fulfulde, were between 18 and 20 years old and wielded heavy guns.
Maimuna, who said she was returning from Abuja, where she had gone to for a workshop, noted that the passengers saw hell but remained grateful to God that she was among those rescued by troops.
The victim said the terrorists forced their way into the coach Sp17, where she was, and shot indiscriminately and were shouting ‘Allah Akbar’.
She added that the terrorists abducted many of the passengers, whom they forced down the train, beating and kicking them.
She, however, sustained a gunshot wound on her thigh, but luckily the bullet did not penetrate her bone.
She said, “I went for a workshop in Abuja in the morning. I was on my way back when the attack took place. I was shot in the leg but the bullet did not penetrate my bone. Honestly we suffered seriously, but thank God that soldiers came and they really helped us.
“I was unable to walk; it was one of the soldiers, who carried me on his back to the car that brought us to the hospital. They carried us and were able to pass over the cliff. Seriously, they tried because it was not easy climbing the cliff.
“The terrorists came into the train but they did not come to the place I was seated. I was hit by a bullet. They entered SP17. As they were shooting, the police security on the train asked us to lie down on the floor of the train so that bullets would not hit us. Unfortunately, before I could get down, a bullet hit me.”
Another passenger, Mohammed Isa, who was shot in the right arm, said he endured the pain for over an hour until the soldiers came to their rescue.
List of victims in hospital
Meanwhile, there is a list of survivors at the 44 Reference Hospital. They include, Haruna Muhammed, Mohammed Modibo, Ibrahim Wakala; Yakubu Nuhu; Abdulahi Yahaya, Ismail Saidu, Abdumalik Rasheedat and Umar Mohammed.
Also on the list are Hadiza Umar, Musa Ishawan, Aisha Yusuf, Mohammed Ameen, Abubakar Hauwau, Aliyu Sulaiman, Olaosebikan Bilikisu and Mrs Leola Abdulbasit.
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