President Muhammadu Buhari has said a larger number of the abducted passengers in the Abuja-Kaduna train attack are being deployed to be used as human shields by their abductors.
He stated that the bandits are using civilians as human shields, thereby making it difficult to confront them directly. He stated further that bandits and terrorists, unlike professional soldiers, don’t respect the rules of engagement; they don’t care about killing their hostages if they come under attack, he added.
Recall that on the 28th of March, gunmen attacked a commercial train journeying to Kaduna from the country’s capital, Abuja.
A survivor reportedly said the train was hit by two explosions before the gunmen opened fire on trapped passengers, an eyewitness, Musa Bashir Usman, also reported that after bombing the tracks, the gunmen surrounded the carriages and opened fire.
It was later reported that a pregnant woman said to be among those kidnapped had given birth while in captivity.
Meanwhile, the Nigerian Railway Corporation is yet to give an account of about 168 passengers of the ambushed train.
Buhari further assured Nigerians that this administration will not allow bandits to grow to yet another big challenge as the government has tried to face down the Boko Haram threat.
The President’s statement came as UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, embarked on a Ramadan solidarity visit to the country to show support for victims of terrorism.
