Shehu Sani, a former Nigerian senator and president of Civil Right Congress of Nigeria has said that the Abuja-Kaduna train attack was attempted several times by bandits before it was eventually carried out successfully on Monday.
The bandits used herds of cattle to stop the trains, but usually end up meeting their end, which led them to using explosives to carry out the attack, Sani said via his verified twitter handle @ ShehuSani. He added that Monday’s attack occurred at the exact spot of a similar attack last October
Read also: About 900 passengers feared kidnapped as bandits bomb Abuja-Kaduna train
“Many times the bandits try to use their herd of cattle to stop the trains but they are usually crushed and then they resort to use of explosives. The trains were attacked in the very spot it was attacked last October. Passengers of 5 coaches were taken as hostages,” Sani tweeted.
Many times the bandits try to use their herd of cattle to stop the trains but they are usually crushed and then they resort to use of explosives.The train was attacked in the very spot it was attacked last October.Passengers of 5 coaches were taken as hostages.
— Senator Shehu Sani (@ShehuSani) March 29, 2022
According to him, a civil servant who survived the attack,] disclosed that the terrorists specifically targeted the business class coach and kidnapped some persons including a foreigner. The eyewitness civil servant said she escaped by playing dead.
I just spoke with a survivor who is a civil servant working with a public Library,She narrated that the terrorists specifically targeted the Business Class coach.They kidnapped some persons including a “white man” & killed those who resisted while she pretended to be dead.
— Senator Shehu Sani (@ShehuSani) March 29, 2022
He lamented that the trains weren’t with sensors to detect explosives and that the promise of protecting the trains with helicopters was abandoned.
“They killed some, they injured some and they kidnapped some. Lessons weren’t learned from the last tragedy. The train were not equipped with censors to detect explosives and the promise of the use of helicopters to protect the trains was abandoned,” the former senator tweeted.
They killed some,they injured some & they kidnapped some.The Train attack was preventable.Lessons weren’t learned from the last tragedy.The trains weren’t equipped with sensors to detect explosives & the promise of the use of helicopters to protect the trains was abandoned.
— Senator Shehu Sani (@ShehuSani) March 29, 2022
In the same series of tweets, Sani chided the Minister of information, asking him to leave everything about security to the agencies in charge.
“The minister of information should simply stop talking about security, he should simply leave it for the security agencies, chiefs or spokespersons,” he said.
The Minister of Information should simply stop talking about security,he should simply leave it for the security agencies chiefs or spokespersons.
— Senator Shehu Sani (@ShehuSani) March 29, 2022
Meanwhile, he recalled boarding the same night train in 2021 when it was bombed by terrorists.
“In October 2021, I was on board the same night train when it was bombed by terrorists and the tracks were damaged. It took the grace of the almighty to save our lives. This is a repeat of that tragedy. We pray for the safe return of all the passengers,” Sani added.
In October 2021,I was on board thesame night train when it was bombed by terrorists and the tracks were https://t.co/5eFEBk5mBL took the grace of the Almighty to save our lives.This is a repeat of that tragedy.We pray for the safe return of all the passengers.
— Senator Shehu Sani (@ShehuSani) March 28, 2022
