Headlines

Many feared kidnapped after Abuja-Kaduna train attack

Published

3 years ago

March 30, 2022

By Derrick Bangura – Following the attack on the Kaduna-Abuja train, about 200 passengers are reportedly kidnapped by the terrorists.

ACCESSSNEWS had earlier reported how some terrorists had on Monday detonated an explosive on the Kaduna-bound train with about 920 passengers onboard.

According to a report by ThisDay, about 200 passengers were kidnapped by the bandits.

One of the eye-witnesses, who had been hauled into one of the small buses brought by the criminals and later escaped.

The eye-witness, who said he could recognise all of them if brought for identification, emphasised the fact that they were not only organised but had a rich network of contacts that made their operations and coordination smooth.

While confirming that they took with them many of the passengers, the number of which he could not verify, he said they targeted VIP coach upon demobilising the train, where he was seated too, and started first by shooting the security men onboard the train.

He noted that there were many security men on the train, who obviously were not on the manifest, because they were not added, stressing further that at least, about six of them might have been killed in the operation, aside the eight passengers, who were not so lucky.

Unfortunately, while the development had sounded the alarm bell across the country and exposing the growing insecurity, Monday’s attack was not the first time that the Kajuru station came under threat by terrorists, who had wanted to make an incursion into that sector of the economy.

They Were Small Boys, Not Nigerians, Who Kept Shouting Allahuhakubar, Survivors Recount Ordeal

However, some of the other survivors of the train attack, have also begun to share their own ordeal too in the hands of their attackers, saying those who attacked them seemed more like non-Nigerians and ‘small boys’ between the ages of 18 and 20, who shouted Allahuhakubar repeatedly as they rained bullets on the train.

Three of the the survivors at the St. Gerald Catholic hospital, however, described their ordeal as horrible.

One of the survivors, Maimuna Ibrahim, who was shot on the thigh, said it was a horrible experience.

“We saw hell. I prayed and prayed and prayed,” she said, adding, “I went to a workshop in Abuja in the morning and I was on my way back to Kaduna that same day after the workshop. I was shot on the thigh. But the bullet did not touch my bone. The bullet penetrated out of my thigh.

“Honestly, we suffered seriously, but thank God soldiers came and they really helped us”, she said, adding that, she was unable to walk after she was shot and soldiers had to carry her out of the train to a vehicle by the expressway.

“I was unable to walk, it was the soldiers, who carried me on the back to the vehicle that brought us to the hospital. They were able to pass over the cliff, carrying us on their backs. Seriously, they tried, because it was not easy climbing the cliff,” she said.

According to her, “The terrorists were moving about in the train, but they did not come to where I was seated. I was hit by the bullet through the window. 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 the bullet will not get at us.

“Unfortunately before I could lie down, the bullet hit me. I saw the terrorists from the window. They were many, they were small boys of between the ages of 18 and 20. They appeared like Fulani. They wore turbans. They don’t look like Nigerians. They were shouting Allahakubar.

“They abducted some people. I saw them forcing people out of the train. They were beating them as they were taking them out of the train.

They were shouting Allahuhakubar, Allahuhakubar as the shot sporadically,” she said.

Speaking too from her hospital bed, another survivor, Fatima Shuaibu, a student of College of Education, Gidan Waya, Kaduna State, said her sister was killed in the attack. She was being treated for dislocation on her right leg.

“My sister, Zainab Awal, was shot on the stomach and she died,” she said amid tears.

Shuaibu said she was seated by the window when she started noticing flashes of touch lights.

Initially, she thought it was the villagers around the area, but when she suddenly heard a loud explosion and the train went off track, she knew there was trouble as her heart started palpitating.

She said, “I was seated by the window in the train. Suddenly, I started seeing flashes of touch light, this was around 8pm. Then, there was a loud bang as if something exploded. Then the train went off track as if was falling down. We started shouting and praying.

“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. 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 or so before soldiers and Airforce arrived and they exchanged gunshots.

“The terrorists came with five Sharon buses and motorcycles. Those who were abducted were taken away in the Sharon buses. The terrorists were small boys of between 18 to 20 years. I saw them, they don’t look like Nigerians.

“The soldiers rescued us in the train. 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 carry people.

On his part, also from his hospital bed at St. Gerald, Mohammed Isa, who was shot on his right arm, said the whole episode was like a dream.

“I was seated by the window and they shot me on the right arm. There was an explosion and the train lost control and went off track.

“All of a sudden, they started shooting at the train from afar, then, they started coming closer. When they got to the train, they attempted to force the door open, but they couldn’t. So they shot at the door and it opened.

“They were speaking Hausa. It took quite some time before soldiers came and they exchanged fire with them,” he said, corroborating the accounts of others.

Yusuf Idris, ex- spokesman to Zamfara State’s former deputy governor, said Alhaji Ibrahim Wakkala was shot in the leg and was currently receiving treatment in a medical facility in Kaduna.

“He is responding to treatment very well. He is answering phone calls in his bed. I spoke to him and several other people spoke to him also. There is no cause for alarm,” Yusuf said.

At the Army, hospital, journalists were prevented from seeing the victims.

Headlines

NCBN, OISD Seek Strategic Partnership with ASR Africa

Published

1 day ago

July 11, 2025

Matthew Eloyi

NCBN, OISD Seek Strategic Partnership with ASR Africa

By Matthew Eloyi

The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigeria Customs Broadcasting Network (NCBN), Mr. Jamilu Yusuf, has led a delegation on a courtesy visit to the Managing Director of the Abdul Samad Rabiu Africa Initiative (ASR Africa), Dr. Ubon Udoh, to explore areas of mutual collaboration.

Mr. Yusuf, who also serves as the Executive Director of the Organisation for Innovation and Sustainable Development (OISD), commended ASR Africa for its transformational impact in critical sectors such as education, healthcare, social development, and institutional strengthening across Nigeria and the African continent.

He highlighted NCBN’s commitment to promoting institutions and initiatives that drive sustainable development, noting that a strategic communication partnership with ASR Africa would help amplify the organisation’s achievements and further inspire positive change.

Mr. Yusuf also proposed a collaboration between OISD and ASR Africa in areas including education, digital literacy, and economic empowerment, aligning with both organisations’ shared vision for inclusive growth and capacity building.

In response, Dr. Udoh welcomed the partnership proposals, expressing ASR Africa’s readiness to collaborate with NCBN on strategic communication initiatives. He also affirmed the initiative’s interest in working with OISD on education empowerment programmes.

Dr. Udoh further used the occasion to congratulate the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, on his recent election as the Chairperson of the World Customs Organisation (WCO), describing the achievement as a testament to Nigeria’s growing influence in global customs administration.

Headlines

Akpabio Hails Okpebholo’s Supreme Court Victory, Calls It Triumph of Democracy

Published

2 days ago

July 11, 2025

Matthew Eloyi

President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, has congratulated Governor Monday Okpebholo on his affirmation as the duly elected governor of Edo State by the Supreme Court, describing the ruling as a “triumph of democracy and the will of the people.”

Akpabio, in a statement personally signed and released on Friday in Abuja, applauded the apex court’s decision, saying it validated the mandate freely given to Okpebholo in the September 2024 gubernatorial election.

“What the apex court in the land has done is to affirm the will and wishes of the overwhelming majority of the people of Edo State. It shows that the election was transparent, free and fair,” Akpabio stated.

He added that, “The declaration by the Supreme Court in favour of Sen. Okpebholo against Mr Asue Ighodalo of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has proven that elections are won at the ballot and by people who have identified with the grassroots.”

The Senate President said the judgment reaffirms the strength of Nigeria’s democratic institutions and the popularity of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Edo State.

“This judgment has again reaffirmed the fact that democracy is at play and the people of Edo have wholeheartedly embraced the All Progressives Congress (APC) and popularly elected their preferred choice of Senator Okpebholo as their governor,” he said.

According to Akpabio, the ruling not only confirms Okpebholo’s mandate but also “paves the way for him to continue delivering exceptional service to the good people of Edo.”

He praised the governor’s performance in the past seven months, expressing confidence in his capacity to deliver more during his four-year tenure.

“My distinguished brother, His Excellency Senator Monday Okpebholo, on behalf of my family and constituents, the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, I extend my warmest congratulations to you and the wonderful people of Edo on this landmark victory at the Supreme Court.

“I wish you success and I assure you of the Senate’s support and collaboration in ensuring the state’s progress and development.

“Congratulations once again, Gov Okpebholo. I look forward to a robust working relationship with you,” Akpabio added.

In a unanimous decision, a five-member panel of the Supreme Court led by Justice Mohammed Garba dismissed the appeal filed by the PDP candidate, Mr Asue Ighodalo, for lacking merit.

The apex court upheld the earlier rulings of the Court of Appeal and the Edo State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal, both of which declared Okpebholo of the APC as the valid winner of the election.

The court ruled that the appellant failed to provide credible and admissible evidence to support claims of electoral malpractice, including over-voting and substantial non-compliance with the Electoral Act.

It further held that the PDP candidate failed to call relevant witnesses to back up some of the evidence he tendered, particularly those involving the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS).

Some of the documents presented, the court noted, were simply “dumped” on the tribunal without demonstrating the alleged irregularities in 432 of the 4,519 polling units across the state.

Education

NELFUND Begins Upkeep Payments to Over 3,600 Students After Bank Detail Update

Published

2 days ago

July 11, 2025

Matthew Eloyi

NELFUND Disburses Over N20bn in Student Loans, Assures Transparency

The Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) has commenced the disbursement of upkeep payments to students who successfully updated their bank account details from digital wallets to commercial bank accounts.

This was announced in a statement released on Friday in Abuja by the Director of Strategic Communications of the Fund, Mrs. Oseyemi Oluwatuyi.

Oluwatuyi described the development as a significant breakthrough in addressing earlier disbursement delays.

“Over 3,600 students, who previously registered with digital-only banking platforms, have now successfully received their backlog of upkeep payments after updating their details to conventional commercial bank accounts on the NELFUND portal,” she stated.

“We appreciate the patience and understanding of all affected students during this period. Your resilience and cooperation have made this progress possible,” she added.

The NELFUND spokesperson advised students who have yet to update their bank details to raise a support ticket via the official NELFUND portal to request access for the update.

She further urged affected students to report through the IT office of their respective institutions, which would compile and forward all related cases to NELFUND for prompt resolution.

“NELFUND remains committed to ensuring that no eligible student is left behind. This resolution process is part of our broader effort to enhance the efficiency, transparency, and student-centered delivery of our support services,” she said.

Oluwatuyi encouraged students to continue engaging only through official NELFUND channels and to assist their peers who may need help navigating the update process.

She also provided contact options for inquiries, stating that the fund can be reached via email at info@nelf.gov.ng or through its official social media handles: X (formerly Twitter) @nelfund; Instagram @nelfund; and Facebook & LinkedIn: Nigerian Education Loan Fund – NELFUND.