TheCable

President Muhammadu Buhari has directed the “immediate conclusion” of the implementation of the security surveillance and monitoring solution for the rail line.

He said the security infrastructure should also be extended to cover the Lagos-Ibadan rail line.

The president also directed the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) to “speedily” repair the damaged Abuja-Kaduna rail line and resume normal service “without delay”.

The president gave the directives on Tuesday after meeting with the service chiefs at the state house, Abuja.

The Abuja-Kaduna train was attacked by gunmen on Monday night while it was a few minutes away from the Kaduna station.

The number of casualties has not yet been confirmed, but among those killed are Chinelo Megafo, a dental surgeon, and Isa Kofar-Mata, a director at the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE).

Several persons are reported to have been kidnapped, while some travellers sustained gunshot injuries.

The president has charged the law enforcement chiefs to bring back all passengers kidnapped and ensure that the terrorists are “hunted down and made to face justice”.

Garba Shehu, senior special assistant to the president on media and publicity, quoted Buhari as saying that no one or group “should be allowed to hold the country to ransom”.

While condemning the attack on the passenger train, the president described the incident as a “matter of grave concern”.

He added that like most Nigerians, he is “deeply pained” by the attack.