Kaduna govt disburses N18m to families of nine victims of Abuja-Kaduna train attack

The Kaduna State government has approved the payment of N18 million to the relatives of nine people murdered in the terrorist attack on the ill-fated Abuja-Kaduna train.

Mr Muhammed Mukaddas, the Executive Secretary of the Kaduna State Emergency Management Agency (KADSEMA), made the announcement on Wednesday in Kaduna.

On Tuesday, Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufa’i approved the distribution of N2 million apiece to the relatives of those killed in the Abuja-Kaduna train incident, he said.

According to Mukaddas, the governor had also approved the payment of N250,000 to each of the 22 people who were critically injured in the train incident.

The donation, according to the KADSEMA executive secretary, was made to support the victims rather than recompense them.

He said that as a humanitarian agency, its mandate was to be amongst first responders during emergencies of all nature.

“369 victims were called and offered opportunities for psychological support, 264 persons accepted the offers and were supported,” the executive secretary added.

Read also: Terrorists showcase abducted victims from Abuja-Kaduna train attack (Video)

Mukaddas recalled that when the incident occurred, the agency immediately alerted senior government officials and then called on relevant stakeholders to join the search, rescue, and evacuation mission, including security agencies.

“We secured ambulances and busses for evacuation and moved to the scene. Before arrival, the military had commenced evacuation, we, therefore, evacuated the dead bodies and a few severely wounded victims, and one person that had escaped captivity.

“We deposited the dead at the 44 NARH and others at St. Gerald’s hospital for treatment. We set up a crisis center which availed families of the victims to call for enquiries and also provide relevant information about their missing relatives,” he said.

On March 28, bandits assaulted an Abuja-Kaduna train at Katari, Kaduna State, killing no fewer than eight passengers, injuring numerous more, and abducting an unknown number of others.

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