ISWAP, Ansaru Terrorists Bomb Kaduna-AbujaTrain Tracks

Terrorists groups affiliated with the Islamic State in West Africa Province, ISWAP and Ansaru have been fingered in the bombing of the Kaduna-Abuja train tracks.

Ezenwoko’s Blog earlier reported that a former Kaduna Senator, Shehu Sani had disclosed that terrorists attacked the Kaduna Abuja railway with an explosive and opened fire on the train, targeting the engine driver and the tank.

Sani added that he was on board the train on Thursday morning when the train ran over another explosive that damaged the rail track, adding that it took a miracle for them to escape.

This news outlet had reported that the NRC immediately suspended the Kaduna-Abuja service as a precaution to keep the passengers safe.

Reacting the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) boss, Fidet Okhiria, confirmed that vandals attacked the Kaduna Abuja railway on Wednesday evening.

He, however, denied reports that bandits were responsible for the attack, adding that parts of the train tracks were severely damaged.

But sources have told Daily Trust that terrorists actually carried out the attacks on the train tracks.

Passengers had revealed that the locomotives, which left Abuja at 6 pm Wednesday hit the first explosive planted by the assailants around 8 pm.

They said that they were stranded for almost six hours before a second locomotive that left Abuja to lend support pulled them to the Rigasa Train Station in Kaduna around 2.30 am.

The second explosion reportedly went off Thursday when the train for the 6.40 am service that left Rigasa Station in Kaduna ran over another set of explosives that damaged the railings.

A senior security source confirmed that security agents had in the last few days intercepted and neutralised terrorists attempting to blow up bridges and rail tracks around the Kaduna axis of the rail line.

“These (attacks) have the signature of ISWAP and Ansaru written all over it, bandits want to kidnap and trade human beings for ransom but this is clear terrorism,” he said.

“The aim was to kill the people on the train. But we thank God that they have not succeeded,” he said.

Another top security source confirmed that within the last few days, security agents had intercepted information of an attempt to blow up one of the rail line bridges but through concerted efforts, the terrorists could not succeed.