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[UPDATE] Abuja-Kaduna Train Attack: 5 More Passengers Confirmed Killed, 41 Hospitalised

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The Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, says about eight persons have so far been confirmed dead and 41 hospitalized in the recent attack on the Kaduna bound train.
 
This is five more casualties than the three reported by News Express on Tuesday afternoon.
 
Amaechi, who disclosed while inspecting the scene of the attack, described the situation as devastating.
 
”We don’t have all the figures of missing persons, kidnapped, and those injured at the moment.
 
”The numbers we have is that there are eight casualties. There are about 41 persons in different hospitals and the total number of passengers who got tickets are 398.
 
”So, we have had to wait on the security, the Kaduna State government, and the Nigerian Railway Corporation. They are all trying to make contact with those on the manifest.
 
”There are few persons who are not on the manifest like the staff of the NRC, staff of the cleaning contractor, they are not on the manifest and we may not be able to completely account for them but those on the manifest, calls are being made to reach them,” Amaechi said.
 
On the security sensors, the minister said its installation was delayed because of the rigorous procurement process.
 
”The process is tedious, the approval is also tedious, we have not been able to get that approval that will lead to the purchase of those items.
 
”If those items were here, drones alone will tell you that there are people around the rail tracks because there are drones, there are equipment that picks sensors if you touch the track.
 
”But unfortunately the process has not been able to get us that approval for us to import those items.
 
”So for me, I am devastated and I honestly don’t know what to tell Nigerians anymore.”
 
The Minister said it was not enough to have cameras inside the train, adding that a high-tech camera that would detect objects from afar was necessary.
 
”The cameras in the train cannot pick what is happening outside. What you need is a camera that shows 100 meters away from the train, that there are unknown persons carrying guns.
 
”Then, we can take precaution, but we have done all we need to do in the ministry of transport and we have forwarded to them for approval but we have not gotten approval.
 
”The patrol vehicles are available but they cannot reach everywhere. For the areas they patrol can patrol, it will forestall.
 
”We are thinking about the possibility of employing natives until we get that equipment. We also need helicopters, beyond the drones, we need helicopters,” Amaechi added.
 
The minister, who stated that the NRC may suspend the evening train, however, noted that stopping was not the solution but providing appropriate technology that would ensure security.
 
”The solution is not in running away from the militants or the bandits. The solution is providing the technology that lets you know that they are around.
 
”If it lets you know that they are around, there are two actions to take; either for the security men to go after them or you don’t ply within that period.
 
”But the agencies that need to give us approval have to give us the approval because we need to purchase those items.
 
”No matter the cost, you cannot equate it with the eight lives that were lost. The equipment was just N3billion and we are about to place an order for the one in Lagos but we need to know what is happening on the track, it is everywhere in the world,” he said.
 
On the perimeter fencing, Amaechi said some areas that have it were being demolished and it was not high enough to protect one from criminals, except for cows.
 
The minister reiterated the importance of getting approval to purchase the necessary equipment as human lives were involved.
 
”I had warned earlier that it is important they get us this approval because human lives would be involved. Since that warning till today, we have had two incidents.
 
”What kind of due process is that? When I say due process, it does not necessarily mean BPP but whatever agency it is, they need to get us approval so that we can get out of the cabinet.
 
”Even if they get us approval, it will take some months to acquire them from overseas to install them. We need to do that to enable us to see from Kaduna-Abuja, Itakpe-Warri, and Lagos-Ibadan. what is going on?

”So that we don’t continue to lose lives because lives are important. If we don’t do that, more people will die.
 
”The cost was about N3billion and the damage here is more than N3billion. So, if we had gotten the approval, we would have saved the N3billion and saved lives,” Amaechi reiterated.
 
The Chairman, of NRC, Ibrahim Alhassan, said the attack was anticipated and measures were taken to avoid it.
 
Alhassan said:” Two months back, we got information that some people were carrying out cognizance of the tracks.
 
”And the information was passed to the relevant authorities and I think some things were done and nothing happened.”
 
He said it was unfortunate that the attack occurred, adding that the NRC was doing all that was necessary to abate such reoccurrence.
 
”We would like to thank Nigerians, our passengers, and people who patronize us, their families, we would like to offer our condolences, our concern, and sympathies, we hope with God Almighty, this thing never repeats itself.
 
”We are going to, on our part, take some measures. To do our own scheduling thing like that and I believe the government and security agencies will come to our assistance with more help and assistance. I believe we are going to overcome this.
 
”It is not going to deter us, honestly, we are not going to give up because of this.
 
”The only thing we want is the cooperation of everybody, especially people living along the corridor, when they see any suspicious activity, they should report such.
 
”I believe people should help us to help all of us,” Alhassan said.
 
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that during the minister’s inspection, the Gidan train station and the community around were attacked by bandits.
 
The train with the minister and his entourage heading to Abuja from the visit to the scene of Monday’s attack was made to stop for some minutes before proceeding on the trip.
 
Security personnel was, however, seen around the area after the staff of NRC was said to have fled the scene.
 
This is the second attack within 24 hours along the same axis.

(NAN)

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‘Several Terrorists’ Killed As NAF Air Strikes Hit Boko Haram Hideout In Borno

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The Nigerian Air Force says multiple terrorists were eliminated after carrying out precision air strikes on a Boko Haram hideout located in the Mandara Mountains of Borno state.

In a statement released on Monday, Ehimen Ejodame, spokesperson for the NAF, stated that the strikes were executed on Sunday under Operation Hadin Kai, following intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance missions.

Ejodame explained that the air strikes specifically targeted Wa Jahode and Loghpere, which have been identified as major strongholds of the Jama’atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda’awati wal-Jihad faction of Boko Haram.

He pointed out that the mountainous region close to the Cameroon border had recently seen increased terrorist activities, including the stockpiling of supplies and sightings of top JAS commanders.

According to the NAF spokesperson, surveillance operations uncovered clusters of buildings fitted with solar panels, black flags, and fortified structures, all suggesting a resurgence of insurgent activity.

He noted that NAF fighter jets were deployed to carry out coordinated air attacks, successfully destroying the terrorists’ logistics hubs, command centres, and defensive shelters.

Ejodame said the air strikes dealt a serious blow to the insurgents by disrupting their supply lines and reducing their capacity to carry out further attacks.

He added that the air force remains determined to continue operations to help restore peace in the region.

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US Traces $250k Crypto Fraud Impersonating Trump-Vance Team To ‘Scammer In Nigeria’

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The United States attorney’s office has initiated a complaint involving 40,353 USDT.ETH in cryptocurrency stolen through a business email compromise scheme.

According to the complaint, which was filed last Wednesday, the fraudster(s) posed as the Trump-Vance inaugural committee and deceived a donor into transferring $250,300 in cryptocurrency, which was later laundered through various wallets.

The complaint stated that the victims received an email on December 24, 2024, from an individual claiming to be Steve Witkoff, who was then the co-chair of the committee and now serves as the US special envoy to the Middle East.

The US attorney’s office clarified in a statement that authentic emails from the Trump-Vance inaugural committee use the domain @t47inaugural.com.

“The email received by victim was from @t47lnaugural.com with the lowercase ‘I’ was replaced by a lowercase ‘L.’ Depending on the font, the lowercase “L” can look like the uppercase ‘I’,” the statement reads

“The imposter Steve Witkoff, a scammer located in Nigeria, instructed the victims to deposit funds into a cryptocurrency wallet ending in 58c52.”

The statement explained that on December 26, the victim transferred 250,300 USDT.ETH to the crypto wallet, believing it was for the inaugural committee.

“Within two hours after receiving the funds from the victim, the funds moved from the 58c52 crypto wallet to other cryptocurrency addresses,” the statement added.

“Through blockchain analysis, the FBI identified and recovered 40,300 USDT.ETH, which is the property subject to forfeiture in this civil action.”

The complaint is seeking to recover the funds in order to compensate the victim.

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Wike Paid $30,000 Per Delegate During PDP 2022 Primaries — Dele Momodu

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Dele Momodu, the publisher of Ovation magazine and a former presidential aspirant, has claimed that Nyesom Wike, minister of the federal capital territory, offered $30,000 per delegate during the Peoples Democratic Party 2022 presidential primaries.

Both Momodu and Wike participated in the 2022 PDP primaries, which saw former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar emerge as the party’s candidate.

Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Monday, Momodu said a former Nigerian president had advised him not to take part in the primaries due to the large sums Wike was offering to delegates.

“A former president of Nigeria sent someone to tell me not to waste my money on the PDP 2022 primaries because Wike had raised the stakes to $30k per delegate; $30k multiplied by 774 delegates,” he said.

“What I expected of him was that if you weren’t going to support a man, if you’re going to run, run a fair race, and let’s leave it there.”

Momodu described Wike’s behaviour since becoming FCT minister as alarming.

“When a man who had been a nobody gets power, he begins to change slowly and steadily,” he said.

He also noted that Wike, who used to show respect to Rotimi Amaechi, the former minister of transportation, has changed significantly.

“The oppressed man respects only one man: the oppressor. Wike used to respect only one man—Rotimi Amaechi.”

The Ovation publisher further alleged that Wike has developed a serious drinking problem.

“Wike is consumed by the power he holds. The spirit of power and money is demonic when not managed properly,” Momodu said.

“He drinks early in the morning. He introduced me to Akeshi, a strong alcohol, saying it helps him function. This is someone in public office.

“My appeal to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is that no matter what you are expecting to gain from Wike in 2027, Wike is not the kind of character you should promote; he is not the kind of young man who should hijack our common patrimony,” he added.

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