FEC observes minute silence for victims of Abuja-Kaduna train

 

The Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting, presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday, observed a minute of silence in honour of the victims of the Abuja-Kaduna train terror attack.

 

The meeting, which kicked off at exactly 10 am, had the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, calling for a minute of silence to be observed first before the business of the day started in earnest.

 

Terrorists attack resulted in the death of eight persons, with over 46 people believed to have sustained various degrees of injury including an unspecified number of people kidnapped.

 

In the manifest received from the Nigerian Railway Corporation, 398 passengers bought tickets, but 362 were validated.

 

The passengers’ manifest excluded the NRC workers and security officials on board the train, while several passengers could not be accounted for.

 

Those in attendance at the FEC meeting were Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo, and Chief of Staff to the President, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari, National Security Adviser, Maj Gen, Babagana Monguno (retd), and Head of Civil Service of the Federation, Dr Folashade Yemi-Esan.

 

Other cabinet members physically attending the meeting are Ministers of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed; Finance, Budget and National Planning, Dr. Zainab Ahmed; and Justice, Abubakar Malami; Health, Dr. Ehanire Osagie; Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige; Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola; Industry, Trade and Investment, Niyi Adebayo; Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Umar-Farouq.

 

It also includes Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Festus Keyamo; Minister of State Mines and Steel, Uche Ogar while other ministers are attending virtually from their various offices.

 

President Buhari had earlier condemned the attacks, directing security personnel to go after the bandits.