The Managing Director of the Nigerian Railway Corporation
Engr Fidet Okhiria has denied any attack by gunmen on the Abuja-Kaduna train.
Some newspapers had reported that armed men suspected to be
kidnappers threw ‘ballistics’ at the the Abuja bound train.
The train, which left the Rigassa train station in Kaduna at
around 10 am was reportedly attacked a few kilometers to Katari, about 70
kilometres to Abuja.
But Okhiria in a short WhatsApp message to The Nation denied
the incident.
“This news was not correct,” Okhiria’s terse statement said.
Okhiria said he had been inundated with calls since the news
went viral on the social media.
Okhiria said what happened was that a stone was thrown at
the train by some boys, which according to him only affected the window glass
of coach SP4.
He further stated that the situation was promptly arrested
by police escorts on the train who restored calm before the train continued its
journey and passengers disembarked peacefully at the Idu Station in Abuja
without any other incident.
Okhiria assured train passengers of their safety even as he
said investigation will continue into the cause of the Katari incident.
“We are assuring train passengers of their safety. The
trains remain the safest and cheapest alternative to the road mode,” Okhiria
further stated.
