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

Published

4 years ago

March 30, 2022

…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.

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.”

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.

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

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.”

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.

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.

“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.

“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.

“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

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.

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.

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.

“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.”

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.

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.

Related Topics:Kaduna train attack Terrorists Attack

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Headline

US On Brink Of Govt Shutdown With Funding Talks Stalled

Published

6 hours ago

October 1, 2025

Editor

The United States government was barreling towards its first shutdown in six years Tuesday, with funding expiring at midnight barring a breakthrough on deadlocked negotiations between Democrats and Republicans.

A last-gasp meeting at the White House on Monday yielded no progress, with top Senate Democrat Chuck Schumer saying afterward that “large differences” remained between both sides.

His party, in the minority in both chambers of Congress, is seeking to flex its rare leverage over the federal government, eight months into Donald Trump’s barnstorming second presidency that has seen entire government agencies dismantled.

The 100-member Senate requires government funding bills to receive 60 votes — seven more than the Republicans control.

With no sign of compromise, an afternoon Senate vote was expected on a short-term funding extension already passed by the House of Representatives, although there was little hope it would succeed.

Unless Congress passes a bill before midnight to fund federal operations, the government will partially close up shop — and plunge Washington into a fresh political crisis.

A shutdown would see nonessential operations grind to a halt, leaving hundreds of thousands of civil servants temporarily without pay, and payment of many social safety-net benefits potentially disrupted.

Trump upped the ante Tuesday when he told reporters his administration may go beyond the usual practice of temporary furloughs and fire “a lot” of federal workers — but he blamed Democratic demands for the looming crisis.

“It’s like they don’t change. They lost an election in a landslide, and they don’t change,” he said.

‘On vacation’ –

US government shutdowns are deeply unpopular, and Democrats and Republicans alike try to avoid the scenario — while blaming the other camp in the event of a closure.

Republicans have proposed to extend current funding until late November, pending negotiations on a longer-term spending plan.

Democrats want to see hundreds of billions of dollars in healthcare spending restored, particularly in the Obamacare health insurance program for low-income households, which the Trump administration is likely to eliminate.

They also want to block Trump and Republicans from cutting approved funds later through the so-called “rescissions” process, as they did this summer. The process requires only a simple majority to pass.

Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson kicked off a pressure-cooker final day of brinkmanship ahead of the midnight deadline by accusing Democrats of weaponizing health care funding “to shut down the government and protect themselves from their radical base.”

The House has already passed a seven-week stop-gap funding measure, and Johnson has sought to force Senate Democrats’ hands by not bringing his chamber back to Washington this week.

But many Democrats have shown up and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries assembled dozens of his members in front of the US Capitol to berate Republicans for being “on vacation” as the shutdown looms.

“We’re ready, we’re willing and able to find a bipartisan path forward to fund the government in a way that actually meets the needs of the American people in terms of their health, their safety and their economic wellbeing,” he told reporters.

“But here’s what we’re not going to do: We’re not going to support a partisan Republican spending bill that continues to gut the health care of the American people — not now, not ever.”

The gridlocked Congress regularly runs into deadlines to agree on spending plans.
In March of this year, with the threat of another shutdown already looming, Republicans refused to engage in dialogue with Democrats over massive budget cuts and the layoffs of thousands of federal employees.

Senate Democrats reluctantly provided the votes to end the stand-off but the decision angered the party base, which is calling on Democratic leaders to stand up to Trump.

Headline

US Faces ‘War From Within’, Trump Tells Generals

Published

6 hours ago

October 1, 2025

Editor

President Donald Trump said Tuesday the military should use US cities as training grounds for a “war from within,” in a darkly authoritarian speech to a rare meeting of top officers.

Republican Trump told hundreds of generals and admirals summoned from around the world to be ready for a greater role in crackdowns on Democrat-run cities, including Chicago.

The assembled top brass were separately warned by Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth of a different challenge, as he vowed to eliminate “fat generals” and to roll back what he called “decades of decay.”

“I told Pete, we should use some of these dangerous cities as training grounds for our military,” Trump said in front of a huge American flag at a military facility in Quantico, Virginia.

Trump added that “we’re going to straighten them out one by one, and this is going to be a major part for some of the people in this room. That’s a war too — it’s a war from within.”

Trump began his speech by railing against so-called “woke” practices in the US military, saying that under his administration it was now “reawakening the warrior spirit.”

His hour-long address then took on an even more overtly political tone, in a break with previous presidents who have tended to avoid domestic politics when addressing troops.

‘Fat generals’ –

Former Fox News host-turned Defense Secretary Hegseth summoned the highly unusual meeting last week before Trump then announced that he would also speak.

Speculation had swirled about the purpose of gathering the whole US top brass in one place, with talk of a major military announcement.

But in the end it was largely a doubling down on restoring what Iraq war veteran Hegseth called the “military ethos.”

Striding the stage, Hegseth told all ranks they must now take a physical fitness test twice a year. “It’s completely unacceptable to see fat generals and admirals in the halls of the Pentagon,” he said.

Hegseth also insisted on “grooming standards” including short hair and shaving, adding: “If you want a beard you can join special forces. If not, then shave. We don’t have a military full of Nordic pagans.”

He also declared an end to “ideological garbage,” citing concerns over climate change, bullying, “toxic” leaders and promotions based on race or gender as examples.

The speeches by Trump and Hegseth came as the US military faces controversy both at home and abroad, with Trump deploying troops in Los Angeles and Washington, and shortly in Portland, Oregon and Memphis, Tennessee.

‘American muscle’ –

Internationally, he has ordered lethal strikes on small, alleged drug boats in the Caribbean, despite questions over the legality of the attacks.

Trump has also ordered strikes on Iranian nuclear sites and Tehran-backed Yemeni rebels.

In a sometimes rambling speech, the US president said he was “discovering American muscle” and that the country had the “strongest military anywhere in the world.”

Trump has however overseen a rare purge of senior officers after taking office.

Headline

South African Ambassador Found Dead Outside Paris Hotel

Published

10 hours ago

September 30, 2025

Editor

South Africa’s ambassador to France, formerly a long-serving cabinet minister, was found dead on Tuesday outside a Paris hotel after the window of his room in the high-rise building was forced open, prosecutors said.

Nkosinathi Emmanuel Nathi Mthethwa, 58, usually known as Nathi Mthethwa, had “reserved a room on the 22nd floor whose secured window had been forced open,” the office of the Paris prosecutor told AFP.

The body of Mthethwa, a close associate of former South African president Jacob Zuma, was found “directly by the hotel”, it added.

A source close to the case, who asked not to be named, said the ambassador suffered from depression and his death could have been suicide.

An investigation has been opened.

Mthethwa had been ambassador since December 2023.

In a statement released in Pretoria, South African Foreign Minister Ronald Lamola said he had “no doubt that his passing is not only a national loss but is also felt within the international diplomatic community”.

The circumstances of “his untimely death” are under investigation by the French authorities, the statement confirmed.

The ambassador’s disappearance was reported on Monday by his wife, who said she “received a worrying message from him in the evening,” the prosecutor’s office said.

Mthethwa served as minister of arts and culture of South Africa from 2014 to 2019, and then of sports, arts and culture until 2023, according to his embassy website.

He was also police minister from 2009 to 2014 and security minister from 2008 to 2009.

Mthethwa also served on the board of directors of the 2010 football World Cup local organising committee.

Between 2007 and 2022, he was a senior official in the African National Congress (ANC), the ruling party since the first post-apartheid democratic elections in 1994.

He worked underground within the ANC’s military wing during apartheid and was notably arrested during the state of emergency in 1989.