Fears mount over 136 people on attacked Abuja-Kaduna train

The fog over the number of passengers on the ill-fated Abuja-Kaduna train, who are missing, is getting clearer.

The Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) said yesterday that it has not been able to establish contact with 136 people among the 362 onboard the train at the time terrorists struck on Monday night.

Questions being asked by observers last night are as follows:

*Is 136 the number of people being held by the terrorists?

*How many of the captives are still alive?

*Where are they being held?

*When will they be released, considering the fact that some people kidnapped months and years ago are still being held?

Managing Director of NRC, Mr. Fidet Okhiria, gave details of the manifest on a television programme last night.

According to him, only 123 of the 362 people on board the train at the time of the attack had been reached on phone.

Eight passengers were killed and 41 others injured.

Okhiria said 398 passengers purchased tickets to travel on the NRC AK9 service but only 362 actually boarded.

Okhiria said: “We have set up a desk and we have been able to talk to 123 persons who said they are safe. Another 17 people picked up the phone but they said they bought tickets for people and have not heard from them.

“Other lines, we have not been able to get them, either not available or switched off. So, that is the position as of now. We will continue to try their numbers.

“Also, the families of those that have been kidnapped are still getting in touch with us. At least, about five of the families have gotten in touch with us and they said the kidnappers have called them.”

Explaining that the entire seat capacity of the train in question is 840, Okhiria added that the 970 figure being quoted on social media was incorrect as the train did not even have such capacity.

According to him, the Abuja -Kaduna service is run on fully automated e-tickets with entry and exit system turnstiles that validate every passenger on board the trains.

He challenged those with contrary figures to come in the open with proof.