The Inspector-General of Police Usman Alkali Baba, Chief of Defence Staff General Lucky Irabor, Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Lieutenant General Faruk Yahaya and other top officials of the Nigerian Railway Corporation, have visited the site of the terrorist attack on a train at Dutse forest in Chikun Local Government Area of Kaduna.
The COAS was accompanied by some principal staff officers of the Army Headquarters and the General Officer Commanding 1 Division, on arrival at the scene.
They assessed the security situation around the general area of the attack and inspected the attacked train, as well as the rail track to evaluate the degree of damage.
Although the number of causalities is yet to be confirmed, many are feared killed while several others have been kidnapped.
The incident happened around 7:45 pm on Monday at Dutse village in Chikun Local Government Area, just a few kilometres from the Rigasa train station, which is the last transit point of the train.
The bandits were said to have opened fire, shot sporadically on the train, and later gained access to the train.
The COAS however, ordered the troops of the Nigerian Army and other security agencies to intensify their search and rescue operations to ensure that the kidnapped victims are rescued unconditionally.
He assured Nigerians that the troops will be undeterred and vehement in the fight against banditry and other forms of criminality.
Speaking further, he urged members of the surrounding communities and all Nigerians to continue to avail troops with credible information to enhance their operations across the country.
General Yahaya observed that the attack reverberates the need for critical stakeholders to review the security of railways across the country in order to achieve the desired security architecture for railway transportation.
Meanwhile, some victims of the attack have been admitted to the 44 Military Hospital and St. Gerald hospital in Kaduna State.
It is not yet clear how many persons were injured but the train was reportedly carrying over 900 passengers.
At least seven people are feared dead and many are believed to have been abducted by the terrorists.
The state governor, Nasir El-Rufai has visited some of the victims receiving treatment at the hospitals.
One of those in the hospital is former Deputy Governor of Zamfara State, Ibrahim Wakkala, has sustained gunshot wounds who also sustained gunshot wounds.
According to the spokesperson of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Zamfara State, Yusuf Idris, the former Deputy Governor was initially abducted by the terrorists during the attack but was later rescued by the combined forces of the DSS and Military
It was during the process that he sustained a gunshot injury on the leg.
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