168 passengers who were on a train in Nigeria last week that were attacked by gunmen have still not been found. So says the Nigeria Railway Corporation (NRC). Eight people were killed in the unclaimed attack. 186 of the 362 passengers are safe.
The fate of the other occupants is unknown. They may have been kidnapped by a group of gunmen. In recent years, criminal gangs have kidnapped hundreds of Nigerians – from villagers to schoolchildren – for ransom. Some families of the missing train passengers say they have been approached by gangs with the message that they are holding their loved ones captive.
The Islamist terrorist group Boko Haram has also been guilty of many kidnappings in the West African country. According to the governor of Kaduna state, where the attack took place, it was the work of Boko Haram along with a local gang of kidnappers. Rescue operations are said to be still underway. The ransom will not be paid, the governor said.
Track blown up
Some of the missing may have returned home without informing the authorities. Only 22 passengers have been reported missing by their families. At the same time, 146 people are unreachable by phone. Their phone is turned off completely, or they don’t answer.
The train ran from the capital Abuja to Kaduna, about 180 kilometers to the north. At 25 kilometers from the final destination, criminals blew up part of the track, bringing the train to a stop.
There were eighteen armed officers on board. Their ammunition ran out at one point and they were unable to prevent gunmen from entering the train. They entered several compartments and took travelers into the woods, eyewitnesses said against the BBC.
Military aircraft
For many Nigerians, the train felt like the safest mode of transport, as kidnappings of people traveling via the normal road from Abuja to Kaduna are commonplace. Frequently, motorists are ambushed. Last October, however, for the first time a piece of track was blown up on the same route.
Train traffic on the route has not yet resumed. First, the track and several compartments have to be repaired. After that, military planes will escort the trains, the Nigerian transport minister said.
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