*172 passengers safe, reunited with families, says NRC
The Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) has said that 21 passengers are still missing seven days after the bandits attacked the AK9 Abuja -Kaduna-bound train.
The corporation also disclosed that about 172 passengers who were also in the said train have been reunited with their families.
The Managing Director of NRC, Mr First Okhiria, stated this in a statement made available on Sunday, the fourth statement since the incident took place on Monday, March 28.
According to the NRC boss, the corporation is cooperating with all security agencies to ensure that all missing passengers are reunited with their families and the tracks made safe for its operations.
He said, “The Corporation also confirms that a total of 172 Passengers onboard the AK9 are safe and okay while 21 Passengers are still reported missing.
“Let us assure our esteemed passengers and the general public that the Corporation in collaboration with other security agencies will leave no stone unturned in our efforts at rescuing the missing persons.”
Okhiria added that four coaches out of the 11 Involved in the incident have been recovered, while work is ongoing on track repairs, bringing the total number of coaches recovered in the incident to seven.
He said: “At the end of work on Saturday (02/04/2022), the NRC’s restoration team had further recovered four (4) more Coaches and two (2) of the Coaches (SP 00007 and SP 00013) and have been safely taken to Idu and Rigasa Stations respectively. The other two Coaches are still at the site due to damaged tracks. This brings the total Coaches recovered to seven, but only five successfully moved to the Stations.”
The NRC boss also stated that efforts are ongoing to link the tracks, saying that at the moment, about 80 metres of the affected sections have been fixed, including affected sleepers and twisted rails.
He further, on behalf of the NRC, condoled with those who lost loved ones and prayed for the repose of the lost souls. He said, “We sincerely sympathise and empathise with our injured passengers and indeed everyone on board the AK9 train of Monday, March 28, 2022 for the trauma this unfortunate incident has caused them.”
The NRC MD also thanked all security agencies for their support and cooperation and especially thanked the Inspector-General of Police, Usman Baba, for his prompt visit of the site of the incident on Saturday, saying that the development had greatly boosted the morale of the corporation.
