Senator Shehu Sani, hundred others escape death as bandits reportedly attack Abuja-Kaduna train

Shehu Sani and a host of other Nigerians have escaped death after bandits bombed a section of the Abuja-Kaduna rail track and opened fire on one of the trains plying the route.

In a tweet, Senator Sani , a former lawmaker, who represented Kaduna Central Senatorial District in the National Assembly (NASS) alleged that the bandits had attacked a Kaduna-Abuja train on Wednesday with explosives. He alleged that the terrorists also opened fire on the engine driver and tank of the train.

Sani revealed that he was on board when the train he boarded on Thursday ran over a rail track damaged by the bandits on Wednesday, and that it took a miracle for them to escape.

“Yesterday, terrorists attacked the Kaduna Abuja railway with an explosive;opened fire on the train, targeting the Engine Driver and the Tank.This morning, I was on board when our train ran over another explosive damaged rail track. It took a miracle for us to escape,” Senator Sani tweeted.

According to Senator Sani, the bandits planted the explosive that damaged the rail track along the rail track and that the explosion shattered the windshield of the train engine.

“They also opened fire, targeting the driver and the tank. It happened between Dutse and Rijana stations. The driver struggled to move towards Kaduna Rigasa station.

“This early morning, I was on board when our train ran over another explosive damaged railings. The train nearly skid off its track, then we miraculously escaped.

“All Kaduna Abuja train operations need to be suspended for today until this issue is addressed,” Sani stated via his official Facebook page.

TNG reports the train plying the Abuja-Kaduna route has an average of five coaches and each coach takes over 60 passengers.

Meanwhile, efforts to reach Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Mohammed Jalige for details on the incident proved abortive at the time of filing this report.

Also, there is no official statement from the authorities yet; however, it was gathered that security agents in Kaduna had scuttled an attempt by bandits who tried to plant explosives around certain bridges in the State.