The Nigerian Railway Corporation said on Tuesday, April 5, that it had still not been able to contact the 163 passengers and seven crew members who boarded the AK9 Abuja-Kaduna train on March 28, 2022, when it was attacked by terrorists.
Fidet Okhiria, the NRC's Managing Director, revealed this in the corporation's sixth update on the train attack.
He did, however, say that 191 passengers had been confirmed safe and were in their various homes with their families, and that work was being done to reopen the rail line.
"191 persons on the manifest are now confirmed safe and at their various homes," Okhiria said of the 362 validated passengers who boarded the train. Today, five more people were confirmed safe.
“46 phone numbers on the manifest are still either switched off or not reachable since Tuesday morning. 33 phone numbers on the manifest are ringing but still no response from the other end.
“62 phone numbers on the manifest when called response non-existent. 22 persons are reported missing by their relatives. Eight persons confirmed dead.”
On the crew members in the train, the NRC boss said, “There were a total of 20 train crew on board. Seven were NRC staff, five are okay and two are missing.
“10 janitors, six are okay, three missing and one dead. Of the three onboard caterers, one is okay and two are missing.”
Okhiria further noted that one of the coaches (SP 00020) was re-railed and safely moved to Rigasa Station.
“This brings the total number of recovered coaches and safely moved to the NRC stations to eight,” he said.
He added, “Intensive track repair works continued on-site to enable the recovery of the remaining coaches and locomotives.”
Meanwhile, the Federal Government has lost about N80 million as a result of the suspension of the Abuja-Kaduna train service after it was bombed by terrorists, according to Punch.
