Abuja–Kaduna train attack

Abuja–Kaduna train attack
Part of the Nigerian bandit conflict and the Boko Haram insurgency
Location	Katari, Kaduna State, Nigeria
Date	28 March 2022 19:45 WAT[1] (UTC+1)
Target	Public aboard Nigerian Railway Corporation trains
Attack type	Bombing, mass shooting, kidnapping
Weapons	Improvised explosive devices, firearms
Deaths	8+
Perpetrators	Nigerian bandits

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.^[2][3]

Incident

At around 7:45 pm, hundreds of passengers travelling northwards on their way to Nigeria's northwest were kidnapped in Katari,^[4] Kaduna State, while others were killed and injured by bandits who bombed an Abuja-Kaduna train.^[5]

Approximately 970 passengers were on board,^[6] and several may have been abducted into the bush by the marauding bandits who arrived on motorbikes holding firearms and other deadly weapons,^[7][1] according to a passenger who escaped the onslaught.^[8]

The train left Abuja's Idu station at 6 pm and was scheduled to arrive in Kaduna's Rigasa train station by 8 pm.^[9][10] According to eyewitness accounts, the train was bombed twice before the armed bandits opened fire at the passengers.^[11]

Sixty-two passengers were abducted in the attack.^[12]

The Acting Managing Director of the Bank of Agriculture, Alwan Ali-Hassan was freed on 6 April.^[13] Eleven passengers were freed on 11 June ^[14] Seven passengers were released on 9 July.^[15] Four passengers were freed on 25 July.^[12] Five passengers were released on 2 August.^[16] Seven passengers were freed on 10 August.^[17] Four passengers were released on 19 August.^[18] The final twenty-three passengers were released on Thursday the 6th.^[19]

Casualties

At least eight 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.^[20][21]

Megafu Chinelo, a doctor, was declared dead hours after she said on Twitter that she had been shot on the Kaduna-bound train.^[22] In a statement released on 28 March 2022, the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) verified this.^[23][24] 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".^[25]

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.^[26] The Nigerian railway corporation suspended operations on the route on 29 March.^[27][28]

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.^[29]

Government authorities later said that intelligence and investigations by security forces pointed to an "unholy handshake"^[30] of bandits cooperating with insurgent jihadist groups such as Boko Haram that were suspected to have carried out the attack,^[31][32] analyzing videos of hostages and statements by the attackers as evidence.^[33] University of Lagos academic John Barnett said that while he believed bandits had carried out the attack, "the use of explosives.... may point to some jihadist collaboration, perhaps with Ansaru elements."^[33]

References

1. "Many Feared Killed, Others Kidnapped As Bandits Attack Abuja-Kaduna Train". Channels Television. 29 March 2022. Retrieved 23 February 2022.
2. "Suspected bandits attack Nigerian passenger train". Reuters. 29 March 2022. Retrieved 23 February 2022.
3. "Gunmen attack Kaduna-bound train in Northern Nigeria". 28 March 2022. Retrieved 23 February 2022.
4. "Rail staff killed in 'unprecedented' attack on train in Nigeria". TheGuardian.com. 29 March 2022. Retrieved 23 February 2022.
5. "Loud blast, gunshots as suspected bandits attack Nigerian train". Reuters. 29 March 2022. Retrieved 23 February 2022.
6. "About 900 passengers feared kidnapped as bandits bomb Abuja-Kaduna train". 28 March 2022. Retrieved 23 February 2022.
7. "Abuja-Kaduna train: How bandits attack interstate train wey carry more dan 900 passengers". BBC News Pidgin. 29 March 2022. Retrieved 23 February 2022.
8. "Suspected bandits attack passenger train in northern Nigeria". 29 March 2022. Retrieved 23 February 2022.
9. "Again bandits attack train station in Kaduna". 29 March 2022. Retrieved 23 February 2022.
10. "BREAKING Bandits Bomb Kaduna Train Station With Explosive Devices Hours After Train Bombing". 29 March 2022. Retrieved 23 February 2022.
11. 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.
12. Rapheal (26 July 2022). "Terrorists free 4 Abuja-Kaduna train attack victims". The Sun Nigeria. Retrieved 6 October 2022.
13. "Train attack: Agriculture bank MD released in honour of Ramadan —Terrorists". Punch Newspapers. 7 April 2022. Retrieved 6 October 2022.
14. Bankole, Idowu (11 June 2022). "BREAKING: Terrorists release 11 kidnapped train passengers". Vanguard News. Retrieved 6 October 2022.
15. Kucha, Muzha (9 July 2022). "Abuja-Kaduna train attack: 7 more victims released". FRCN HQ. Retrieved 6 October 2022.
16. "Five more Kaduna train passengers freed after 127 days in captivity". TheCable. 2 August 2022. Retrieved 6 October 2022.
17. "Terrorists release seven Kaduna train passengers, abduct five". Punch Newspapers. 11 August 2022. Retrieved 6 October 2022.
18. "Terrorists release 4 Kaduna train attack abductees -- including 90-year-old woman". TheCable. 19 August 2022. Retrieved 6 October 2022.
19. "23 Remaining Passengers of the Abuja-Kaduna Train Attack Released". Nigeria Info, Let's Talk!. Retrieved 6 October 2022.
20. "Kaduna-Abuja train bomb NMA reacts to killing of Dr Chinelo, makes demands from Buhari govt". 29 March 2022. Retrieved 23 February 2022.
21. "Abuja-Kaduna Train Attack: Politician, medical doctor, unionist among dead passengers". 29 March 2022. Retrieved 23 February 2022.
22. "Abuja-Kaduna Train Attack: Doctor Confirmed Dead, Hours After Calling For Prayers". Channels Television. 29 March 2022. Retrieved 23 February 2022.
23. "NMA mourns medical doctor, Chinelo, who died in Kaduna train attack". 29 March 2022. Retrieved 23 February 2022.
24. "NMA mourns female doctor killed in Kaduna train attacks". 30 March 2022. Retrieved 23 February 2022.
25. "Grief, anger over death of young Nigerian doctor in Abuja-Kaduna train attack". 29 March 2022. Retrieved 23 February 2022.
26. "Nigeria: Train attack leaves several dead". Deutsche Welle. 29 March 2022. Retrieved 23 February 2022.
27. "Halting bandits' threat to all modes of transport in Kaduna". 30 March 2022. Retrieved 23 February 2022.
28. "Nigeria Railway Corporation confirms attack on Abuja-Kaduna train". 29 March 2022. Retrieved 23 February 2022.
29. "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.
30. "Bandits now in alliance with Boko Haram in Kaduna, Plateau, says Nigerian govt". Daily Nigerian. 13 April 2022. Retrieved 12 June 2022.
31. "Nigeria's Kaduna train attack: Pregnant woman freed". BBC News. 15 May 2022. Retrieved 12 June 2022.
32. "FG blames Abuja-Kaduna train attack on Boko Haram, bandits collaboration". The Sun Nigeria. 14 April 2022. Retrieved 12 June 2022.
33. "Nigeria: Who is behind the Abuja-Kaduna train attack?". The Africa Report.com. 8 April 2022. Retrieved 12 June 2022.