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Survivors Of Kaduna Train Attack Narrate Ordeal, Say ‘We Saw Hell’

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…My Sister Was Shot In The Stomach And Died – Survivor

…Our Attackers Are Between 18 & 20 Years Of Age

Survivors of the Kaduna train attack have recounted their ordeal following the terrorist attack which reportedly claimed the lives of scores of persons on Monday night, with some of them saying, “We saw hell.”

Among those killed in the attack on the Abuja-Kaduna bound train was Dr. Chinelo Nwando Megafu, a dental surgeon.

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Megafu, who had tweeted immediately after the accident soliciting prayers, was confirmed dead. Her remains had been deposited at the morgue of the St. Gerard Catholic Hospital, Kakuri, Kaduna, on Tuesday.

The terrorists had planted explosives devices along the rail track and when the Abuja-Kaduna bound train approached the point, the device exploded, causing the train to derail.

Megafu, a dental surgeon, had tweeted at exactly 9:43pm from her Twitter handle @nelo_x, that she was shot in the train, while calling for prayers from her followers. She had tweeted: “I’m in the train. I’ve been shot please pray for me.”

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READ ALSO: Kaduna Train Attack: See List Of Victims Injured, Evacuated To Hospital

Some of the identities of those killed by the terrorists had yet to be made known, but one of the victims, Fatima Shuaibu, a student on board the train, confirmed to our correspondent that her sister, Zainab, was shot in the stomach and died, while another victim, Mohammed Isa, also in hospital, told The PUNCH, that he saw two dead bodies.

Meanwhile, security has been beefed up at the 44 Nigerian Army Reference Hospital located in the metropolis where victims who sustained critical injuries were taken to for urgent medical attention.

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However, at the St. Gerard Catholic Hospital, our correspondent, who was at the hospital, was told that no fewer than 15 victims were brought to the hospital.

A source who craved anonymity said, “15 victims were brought here but some of them with serious gunshot wounds were referred to the 44 Army Reference Hospital where the bullets would be extracted from their bodies.”

Survivors of the attack

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My sister was shot in the stomach and died – Fatima Shuaibu

Fatima Shuaibu, a student of the College of Education, Gidan Waya, Kaduna State, in sobs, narrated how her sister was shot in the stomach by the terrorists and died on the spot.

She explained that as the Abuja-Kaduna train was approaching Kaduna, they suddenly heard a loud explosion, forcing the train to go off the rail track, saying the security personnel attached to the train ordered “everybody should lie down on the floor.”

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She added that before they could lie down, her sister, identified as Zainab Awal, was shot in the stomach and she died on the spot, adding that the terrorists operated for 2 hours unhindered before the arrival of the troops.

READ ALSO: Abuja-Kaduna Train Attack: Buhari, El-Rufai Under Fire

She disclosed that the terrorists came in Sharon vehicles (buses) and motorcycles, adding that those that were abducted were taken away in the Sharon buses.

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“I was seated by the window in the train. Suddenly I started seeing touch light. It was around 8pm. Then there was a loud bang like as if something exploded. Suddenly the train went off track as if was falling down. As soon as the train stopped, we started hearing gunshots.

“The security personnel on the train announced that everybody should lie down on the floor of the train. My sister (Zainab Awal) was shot in the stomach and she died.

“They attacked the VIP coach. They abducted some people and took them to the bush, they shot other people.

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“They operated for about 2 hours before soldiers and Air Force arrived and they exchanged gunshots.

“The terrorists came with Sharon buses and motorcycles. Those who were abducted were taken away in the Sharon buses.

“The terrorists were small boys of between 18 to 20 years. I saw them, they don’t look like Nigerians.

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“The soldiers rescued us in the train. They evacuated us. Those of us who were injured were evacuated from the train. They climbed the cliff with us and took us to the expressway where vehicles were brought to carry people. From there they brought us to the hospital. The incident happened at about 7:50pm.

Our attackers are between 18 & 20 years of age

…terrorists were shouting Allah Akbar, Allah Akbar- Maimuna Ibrahim

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Narrating her ordeal, Maimuna Ibrahim, who was also on board the attacked train, told our correspondent at the St. Gerard Catholic Hospital that the attackers, who mostly communicated in Fulani language, were between 18 and 20 years and wielding heavy guns.

Maimuna, who said she was returning from Abuja where she went for a workshop, noted that the passengers saw hell but remained grateful to God that she was among those rescued by troops mobilised to the scene of the attack.

She said the terrorists forced their way into the coach Sp17 where she was and shot indiscriminately and were shouting Allah Akbar, Allah Akbar, meaning in Arabic, Allah is great.

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READ ALSO: NRC Reacts As Bandits Bomb Rail Track, Attack Abuja-Kaduna Train

He added that the terrorists abducted many of the passengers whom they forced down the train, beating and kicking them.

She, however, sustained gunshot wound on her thigh but lucky enough that the bullets didn’t touch her bone.

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According to her, she was unable to walk when she was shot by the bandits, adding that it was one of the soldiers that carried her on his back to the expressway before being taken to the hospital.

She said, “I went to a workshop in Abuja in the morning. I was on my way back when the attack took place.

“I was shot on the leg. But the bullet did not touch my bone. The bullet penetrated out of my leg. Honestly we suffered seriously, but thank God soldiers came and they really helped us.

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“I was unable to walk, it was a soldier who carried me on the back to the car that brought us to the hospital. They carried us and were able to pass over the cliff. Seriously they tried because it was not easy climbing the cliff.

“The terrorists came into the train but they did not come to the place I was seated. I was hit by the bullet. They entered SP17.

“As they were shooting, the police security on the train asked us to lay down on the floor of the train so that the bullet would not get at us. Unfortunately before I could lay down the but hit me.”

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They spoke Hausa language but were Fulani – Mohammed Isa

To Mohammed Isa, another male victim, shortly after the explosion, the terrorists started shooting from afar “as they approached.”

Isa, who claimed he was by the window side of the train, was shot on his right arm.

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He said, “There was an explosion and the train lost control. They started shooting at the train from afar, then they started coming. When they got to the train attempted to open the door but they the had difficulties, so they shot at the door.

“They were speaking Hausa language but they were Fulanis. I was shot by the window. It took over one hour for soldiers to come.”

PUNCH.

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After Fallout With Trump, Elon Musk Says He’s Forming ‘America Party’

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Billionaire Tesla owner Elon Musk, has disclosed that he is forming a third political party, which he called the ‘America Party,’ after a dramatic falling out with Donald Trump over a tax and spending bill recently signed into law by the President.

Musk, who was the largest individual donor to Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign, worked with the current US President as the lead of his cost-cutting government agency—the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE)—until his recent resignation.

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After bowing out of the DOGE role, Tribune Online reports that Musk started criticizing Trump’s “big beautiful bill” because of estimates that he said would add trillions of dollars to the federal deficit.

READ ALSO:Trump Says Will ‘Take A Look’ At Deporting Musk

Speaking via his X social media platform, Musk said, “When it comes to bankrupting our country with waste & graft, we live in a one-party system, not a democracy.”

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Musk, a former ‘first buddy’ of the US President, declared that the new party is for freedom: “Today, the America Party is formed to give you back your freedom.”

Meanwhile, Musk’s rift with President Trump last month after intense criticism of the spending bill appeared to have cooled after Musk regretted and deleted the most incendiary posts he made linking Trump with disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein and calling for the President’s impeachment. According to Musk, those posts ‘went too far.’

However, the world’s richest man reignited the feud over the last several days as the bill neared passage and eventually passed by the House before it was subsequently signed at a White House ceremony.

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READ ALSO:Elon Musk Deletes Post Claiming Trump Was ‘In The Epstein Files’

According to CNN, the extent to which Musk has taken steps to legally form the party is unclear, as party formation requires registering with the Federal Election Commission. The most recent FEC filings showed no indication that this has happened, CNN reports.

The owner of X, who has made threats during the social media scuffle with Trump, had indicated he wants a party that is fiscally conservative and reins in spending, but has offered few other details about what the party’s platform would be.

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While Musk and Trump reportedly share similar views on contemporary social issues, the former has argued the Republican policy agenda will increase the debt, calling it “debt slavery.”

The two-party system in the United States has long been criticized by both registered Democrats and registered Republicans, but efforts in the last century to form a third party have shown little success. Billionaire Ross Perot ran for president as an independent in 1992, winning nearly a fifth of the popular vote, but carried no states in the election, which was won by Bill Clinton.

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Australian Actor Julian McMahon Is Dead

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Australian actor Julian McMahon, best known for his roles in Nip/Tuck, Charmed, and Fantastic Four, has died at the age of 56.

McMahon passed away in Clearwater, Florida, on Wednesday following a private battle with cancer.

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His death was confirmed in a statement released on Friday by his wife, Kelly.

The statement read,”With an open heart, I share with the world that Julian McMahon, my beloved husband, died peacefully this week after a valiant effort to overcome cancer.

READ ALSO:BREAKING: Liverpool Star Diogo Jota Is Dead

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His deepest wish was to bring joy into as many lives as possible.

“We wish all of those to whom Julian brought joy to continue to find joy in life.

“We are grateful for the memories.”

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Born into a prominent political family, McMahon was the son of former Australian Prime Minister Sir William McMahon.

READ ALSO:BREAKING: Renowned Businessman, Aminu Dantata, Is Dead

In a nod to his family’s legacy, he portrayed an Australian prime minister in the Netflix drama ‘The Residence.’

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McMahon’s career spanned decades, earning him international recognition for his roles as Dr. Christian Troy in ‘Nip/Tuck’, Cole Turner in ‘Charmed’, and Victor Von Doom in ‘Fantastic Four’.

He was married three times, including a high-profile marriage to Australian singer and actress Dannii Minogue, sister of pop icon Kylie Minogue.

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Thai Police Rescue Eight-year-old Boy Living With Dogs, Unable To Speak

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An eight-year-old boy has been rescued in Thailand after authorities discovered him living among dogs and only able to communicate by barking.

According to Dailymail on Friday, the boy, whose name has been withheld, was found on Monday during a welfare check at a ramshackle, drug-infested house in Lap Lae District, Uttaradit Province.

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Local reports say the child had been living with his mother, 46, and his 23-year-old brother, both of whom tested positive for drug use after a police raid.

Neighbours revealed that the family had long been isolated from the community, and the boy had no contact with other children. Instead, he spent his days with the family’s six dogs, which he reportedly mimicked.

READ ALSO:24-year-old Thai Lady Arrested At Lagos Airport With Illicit Drugs

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“He didn’t speak, he just barked. It was pitiful to see,” said Paveena Hongsakul, president of the activist foundation which worked with police on the rescue.

Authorities said the boy had only attended school once, despite his mother receiving government stipends of around 400 baht (£9) meant to support his education.

His mother hasn’t allowed him to go to school since he received a subsidy for free education,” Hongsakul explained. “After getting the money, she simply kept him at home.”

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Neighbours were said to have forbidden their children from playing with the young boy due to the family’s behaviour.

The mother was reportedly known in the area for begging at temples and has now been charged with drug use.

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A local teacher described the boy’s environment as a “red zone for drugs” and said that neighbours forbade their children from interacting with him.

‘The house is in a red zone for drugs,’ one teacher explained. ”The boy had no one, just the dogs to play with.”

The disturbing situation came to light after a headteacher raised the alarm, prompting activists and police to raid the house on June 30.

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Images shared in Thai media showed authorities at the shack surrounded by trees and several dogs.

Following the rescue, the boy was taken to a children’s home, where he will receive medical and psychological care.

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Ms Hongsakul, of the Foundation for Children and Women, will work with authorities to ensure the child receives continuous education, and her organisation will monitor his progress.

Images from the scene showed authorities standing around a small family in a wooded area with several dogs on site. Credit: Dailymail
Images from the scene showed authorities standing around a small family in a wooded area with several dogs on site. Credit: Dailymail
The boy will be given a chance at a good life. We’ll follow up with him to make sure he gets everything he needs,” she said.

Cases of so-called “feral children”, youngsters raised with little or no human contact, are extremely rare but often highlight the severe consequences of neglect.

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Experts cite the example of Oxana Malaya, a Ukrainian girl found in 1991 living with dogs after her parents abandoned her. Though she eventually learned to speak and reintegrated into society, she still struggled with some developmental challenges.

Authorities in Thailand say they are committed to giving the rescued boy a fresh start and the chance to live a normal life.

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