KANO, Nigeria, March 29, 2022 (BSS/AFP) - Gunmen attacked a passenger train
in northwest Nigeria Monday night, opening fire after detonating explosives
on the track, but were repelled by troops without causing casualties, a
security source and friends of passengers told AFP.

   The train was hit at about 9:00 pm on the line between the capital Abuja
and the major northwest city of Kaduna, where heavily armed gunmen had
attacked the airport on Saturday.

   It was the latest violence attributed to armed criminal gangs, known
locally as bandits, who are blamed for rising violence and mass kidnappings
in northwest Nigeria.

   "Terrorists have attacked an Abuja-bound train this evening with 970
passengers on board," a senior security source told AFP.

   "The terrorists bombed the tracks with explosives between the towns of
Katari and Rijana, which are notorious kidnapping spots. This forced the
train to stop while the terrorists besieged it and (started) shooting into
the coaches," the source said. "The attack has been repelled by the troops
who deployed in time. The terrorists fled when the soldiers arrived. The
train is bulletproof, this saved the passengers who lay still on the floor."

   According to the source, there were no casualties and the train was headed
back to Abuja, as the track to Kaduna was damaged.

   Two friends of passengers, who had been in contact with them by telephone,
confirmed the attack and rescue by the army.

   "I spoke with my friend's wife and she said they had been rescued by
soldiers. No one was hurt. They are going back to Abuja," Muhammad Musa told
AFP.

   "My friend is on the train. He confirmed to me they are now safe. The
military came to their rescue from the bandits," Abdullahi Mustapha also told
AFP by telephone.

   "They are going back to Abuja. They can't come to Kaduna. The rail has
been vandalised by the explosion," he said.

   The incident comes two days after heavily armed men attacked Kaduna
airport on Saturday, killing a security guard and temporarily disrupting
flights before being repelled by troops.