The  Abolongo Correctional Centre in Oyo town in Oyo State was on Friday invaded by gunmen.

Nigerian Newstrack gathered that gunmen attacked the facility with explosives around 10.30pm and set the inmates free.

A search by security operatives for the fleeing inmates has reportedly begun.

The Public Relations Officer of the Oyo State Command of Nigerian Correctional Services, Lanre Anjonrin, confirmed the attack, saying, “I am there now and we are assessing the level of damage done. We will make our findings known later.”

Love is not enough

Baby come to me molowo (come to me molowo, ah, ah)

Love me or you hate me

E no mean, no mess with me mologo (mess with me mologo, ah)

Hennessy 250

Ko ma lo ni titi (ah)

Giuseppe Zanotti inna Maserati (ah)

Ag baby easy

Fine boy like Wizzy (ah)

You wan kill somebody

Pelu sweet melody

Normally ojojumo la n saye (ah)

Luckily molowo ti mo fe na

Me I just want to be high

Be high

Be high

Me I just want to be high

Be high

Be high

Me I just want to be high

Be high

I just want to be high

Be high (be high)

(I just want to be high)

For-for-forward in this party

Let's get naughty

Can't call mommy

Can't call daddy

Vision blurry

Words are slurry

Watimagbo, watimagbo

The sky is falling

Wake up and jump start

I go chop you like oha, yeah

Come be my Oga

I can't get away from this thing

I love the way you gat me feeling

Omo mailo baby girl no leave me

Malo

Normally (ojojumo la n saye)

Luckily (molowo ti mo fe na)

Me I just want to be high (be high)

Be high (be high)

Be high

Me I just want to be high (be high)

Be high (be high)

Be high

Me I just want to be high

Be high (be high)

I just want to be high

Be high (be high)

(I just want to be high)

Hennessy 250

Ko ma lo ni titi (high)

Ko ma lo ni titi (high)

(High)

Watimagbo, watimagbo, watimagbo

[Intro: Wizkid]

Ohh naa naa

Omo je ka shi ge ge woah

Ohh naa naa

Omo ge wa j'ogede

Ohh naa naa

Girl I no go let you go

Ohh naa naa

Omo je ka shi ge ge woah

[Verse 1: Tems]

Say I wanna leave you in the mornin'

But I need you now, yeah, yeah

I find you, I give you all you needin'

I know you what you like

I feel it comin'

Time is of the essence

I tried to teach you

But I'm gon' need some lessons

I need to give it all

I tried to leave but I can't

I don't know why, you're the one

Turn me out of my mind

[Chorus: Tems]

You don't need no other body

You don't need no other body

Only you fi hold my body

Only you fi hold my body

You don't need no other body

[Verse 2: Wizkid]

Say na me dey mess up your mind

And na me dey make you free up your mind

Say your body talk to me nice

Say na my love, you dey need for your life

Yeah our love no be lie

See yeah we dey together yeah day and night

Yeah if I leave you go kpai

Yeah if you leave I go kpai (Oh, oh woah)

I'm strokin' your body, baby

Lovin' your body, baby

As you're whinin' your body, baby

So crazy

Lovin' your body, baby

Gyal iwo ni temi

I just wanna let you know, oh woah

Hope every day that I dey by you

[Chorus: Tems]

You don't need no other body

You don't need no other body

Only you fi hold my body

Only you fi hold my body

You don't need no other body

[Bridge: Tems & Wizkid]

Baby, baby

Every body used to say

No one loves you like this

No one wants you the same way

Love 'til the mornin'

My head wan' to turn from your lovin'

I just wanna get you beside me (Woah, woah, woah, woah)

Gave you all you need, gave you all you need

Gave you all, you give me all you need, give you all you need, gave you all

Make ah give you all you need

Every touch you need, give you all

Make ah give you all you need, baby

Yeah-yeah, yeah-yeah

[Chorus: Tems]

You don't need no other body

You don't need no other body (Woah, woah, woah)

Only you fi hold my body

Only you fi hold my body (Yeah-yeah, yeah-yeah)

You don't need no other body

[Outro: Wizkid]

Baby girl I want you there

Girl I want you there

Promise to treat your love fair

Woah-woah, woah-woah

When we touch, how we connect

Woah-woah, woah-woah

Said this love, have no regret

Woah-woah, yeah-yeah

Yo

Yo Rexxie on this one

Shebi tele tele, lama fo fun won wipe

K'oma wa l'oru, toripe awa ti jade

Amo ni sinyi o

Ton ba wa losan, ton ba wa loru

Awa n be ni be, awa o de le fo fun won

Toripe awa tingasa, awa o de le sa fun won

Aye yi o le o (aye yi o le)

Aye lo m'aye le (aye lo m'aye le)

Ninu aye lo ti di f'aye, aye lo m'aye le

(Aye lo m'aye le)

Aye yi o le o (aye yi o le)

Aye lo m'aye le (aye lo m'aye le)

Ninu aye lo ti di f'aye, aye lo m'aye le

O n pe oku iya yi ni (eyin le ma sin iya yin)

Oku your mother (eyin le ma sin iya yin)

Oku momsi yin (eyin le ma sin iya yin)

Oku your mama (eyin le ma sin iya yin)

Nigba tin jale

Tin mi o ba teni kan je, ti mo ni ti're ma da

Wo ko n binu ori lasan

Ori ma mu won

Owo ma ba won

Ti olorun ba ti gba'dura mi, bukata mi a fu'ye

Aye yi o le o (aye yi o le)

Aye lo m'aye le (aye lo m'aye le)

Ninu aye lo ti di f'aye, aye lo m'aye le

(Aye lo m'aye le)

Aye yi o le o

Aye lo m'aye le

Ninu aye lo ti di f'aye, aye lo m'aye le

Ninu aye lo ti di f'aye, aye lo m'aye le (yo!)

Aye yi o le o

Aye lo m'aye le (yo Rexxie on this one)

Ninu aye lo ti di f'aye (yo!)

Aye lo m'aye le

Yo! Yo!

Spirimix

The Federal Government, on Friday, alleged that some countries are aiding the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu.

The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami, SAN, who made the allegation while briefing journalists, insisted that some state actors aided Kanu after he escaped from the country.    “We have also established that Kanu is not alone in his subversive activities. He has accomplices in Nigeria and abroad, individuals and groups as well as state and non-state actors who are aiding and facilitating his campaign against the people and state of Nigeria.

“Some of the state actors aided Kanu, even as a fugitive, in his destructive mission, ignoring the terrorist nature of his activities.   “We call on these countries to desist from aiding subversive acts by Kanu and IPOB against the state of Nigeria and its people.

“Conversely, there are some friendly countries which, recognising the status of IPOB as a terrorist organization, have either banned the activities of IPOB or placed Kanu on Stop List. “To these peace loving countries that have put Kanu on their Stop Lists and banned IPOB from operating in their territories, we express our appreciation”, Malami stated.

The AGF disclosed that President Buhari had after Kanu was re-arrested in June, inaugurated a Presidential Ad-hoc Committee to investigate activities of the IPOB. He said that 24 members of the committee were drawn from the Federal Ministry of Justice (MoJ), Federal Ministry of Information (MoI), Nigeria Police Force (NPF), Department of State Services (DSS), National Intelligence Agency (NIA), and Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA).

According to him, the outcome of an investigation that was conducted by the committee, revealed that the IPOB and the Eastern Security Network, ESN, have so far, killed 175 security personnel comprising of 128 Police men, 37 military personnel and 10 other security operatives.

He said the investigation further revealed that Kanu’s broadcasts fuelled the #EndSARS protests that led to destruction of public facilities, including the attack on the Oba of Lagos.

“While in self-exile, Nnamdi Kanu intensified his subversive campaign, using online Radio Biafra to instigate violence and incite members of IPOB to commit violent attacks against civil and democratic institutions, particularly the security personnel, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), and civilians.

“He instigated the destruction of public and private properties across the country.

“As a result of these criminal activities, IPOB was proscribed and designated a terrorist organization by a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, in an Order made on 20th September 2017.

“Despite the proscription of IPOB by the Federal Government, Nnamdi Kanu continued the subversive campaign, instigating and inciting broadcasts to direct members of the IPOB to launch attacks on government.

“The EndSARS protests of October 2020 played into the sinister plans of Nnamdi Kanu, whereby he seized the protests through subversive and inciting online broadcasts and actively commanded and directed attacks on security personnel and facilities.

“As a result of these broadcasts, members of IPOB attacked and killed security personnel and burnt down Police stations, Correctional centers, INEC offices, bus terminals, the Palace of Oba of Lagos, Banks, hospitals, shopping malls and vehicles, amongst others.

“On 12th December, 2020, Eastern Security Network” (ESN) was formed by Nnamdi Kanu as an armed wing of IPOB with the mandate to advance the nefarious agenda of the outlawed group.

“ESN continued to launch attacks on security personnel, civilians perceived as enemies as well as destruction of private and public properties.   “The destructive activities of IPOB/ESN pose serious threat to Nigeria’s National Security and its corporate existence, which resulted into re-arrest of Nnamdi Kanu and members of his group.

“The Committee finds as a fact, that consequent upon the instigating directives of Nnamdi Kanu, members of IPOB/ESN carried out massive attacks on democratic institutions especially INEC Facilities with a view to hampering democratic process in Nigeria.

“These attacks that were carried out between October 2020 and June 2021 include the following:

“That acting on the instigating directives of Nnamdi Kanu, IPOB members and #EndSARS protesters attacked and killed many security agents, destroyed several public and private properties, including Police stations, public transport buses and other facilities across the country.

“That on 21st October 2020, Nnamdi Kanu through an online call-in radio programme (Radio Biafra), further instigated IPOB members to burn down all police stations and kill Government security forces, which was carried out and several Security personnel (especially Police Officers) were killed and public and private properties destroyed.

“One hundred and seventy-five (175) security personnel were killed by IPOB/ESN, comprising one hundred and twenty eight (128) Police men, thirty seven (37) military personnel and ten (10) other security operatives;

“Killing of prominent Nigerians, (recently there were gruesome killings of traditional leaders: Obi 1 of Okwudor autonomous community, Eze E. Anayochukwu Durueburuo and Eze Sampson Osunwa of Ihebineowerre autonomous community as well as the killings of Dr. Chike Akunyili and eight others as well as the killing of Alhaji Ahmed Gulak on 30th May. 2021);

“That as a consequence of Nnamdi Kanu’s broadcasts, there were nineteen (19) attacks on INEC facilities that resulted in the destruction of offices as well as burning of eighteen (18) INEC logistical vehicles, several election materials, equipment and ICT gadgets in Abia, Akwa-Ibom, Anambra, Cross River, Enugu, Ebonyi and Imo States;

“That one hundred and sixty-four (164) police stations and formations, including Police Headquarters, Owerri, Imo State were attacked by IPOB/ESN leading to the death of one hundred and twenty-eight (128) police men {as stated in III above}; one hundred forty four (144) injured while six hundred twenty eight (628) vehicles were destroyed.

“That three hundred and ninety-six (396) firearms and seventeen thousand seven hundred and thirty eight (17,738) ammunition were carted away during the IPOB/ESN attacks;

“That there were three (3) IPOB/ESN attacks on Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS), including the Headquarters of NCoS, Owerri, Imo State where one thousand eight hundred and forty one (1,841) inmates escaped;

“That the Headquarters of the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS), Umuahia, Abia State was also attacked by IPOB/ESN leading to the death of one (1) officer;

“That there were several IPOB/ESN attacks and destruction (arson) of public and private properties during the EndSARS and Biafra agitations across the country, especially in the South-East and South-South regions, notably the Palace of the Oba of Lagos where twelve (12) flats were completely looted and vandalized, the country home of the Governor of Imo State, Senator Hope Uzodinma, was burnt, over one hundred and fifty (150) buses burnt at the Lagos Bus Terminal, Sen. Ndoma Egba’s home in Calabar Municipal, Cross River State, was completely looted and vandalized, Lagos State DNA and Forensic Centre, City Hall Race Course, First Bank Branch Lagos, Lagos State Public Works Commission, Nigeria Port Authority (NPA), Marina, Lagos, High Court Igbosere, Lagos, were all burnt, amongst other heinous crimes committed”, Malami added.

He said information on countries supporting Kanu and the IPOB would be made public in due time.

Asked if the press briefing indicting Kanu was not subjudice in view of the fact that the case is already pending in court, Malami, said his office has a constitutional responsibility to act in public interest by keeping Nigerians informed.

“Nigerians, in public interest have to be carried along as it relates to protection of their rights and properties”.

He further maintained that Kanu’s presumption of innocence would not be affected by findings of the Committee.

“The court is the final arbiter that will eventually determine”.

Asked if it was in public interest that journalists were blocked from covering Kanu’s trial, Malami, said it was not within his powers or that of the Executive arm of the government to decide how a judge should coordinate a court proceeding.

“Within the context of prevailing legislations, the court preserves the right to restrict access. It is left for the press to seek clarification from the court”, he added.

Vanguard

The Federal Government, on Friday, said its investigations identified a federal lawmaker in the National Assembly as a major financier of Yoruba nation agitator, Sunday Adeyemo, popularly known as Sunday Igboho.

The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami, SAN, who made the disclosure while briefing newsmen, however declined to reveal the identity of the said lawmaker.    

He said the information would be made public at the appropriate time.  

 According to him, an investigation that was carried out by a 24-member Ad-hoc Committee that was constituted by President Muhammadu Buhari, equally linked Igboho to 43 bank accounts in nine financial institutions in the country.    

He said a report that was submitted to FG by the Committee which has members that were drawn from the Federal Ministry of Justice (MoJ), Federal Ministry of Information (MoI), Nigeria Police Force (NPF), Department of State Services (DSS), National Intelligence Agency (NIA), and Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA), exposed that Igboho is a Director and signatory to a company, Adesun International Concept Limited, which was registered on April 23, 2010.

The AGF, who also disclosed that he was the head of the investigative Committee, named two other persons, Oladele Oyetunji and Aderopo Adeyemo as Igboho’s co-Directors of the company.  

He said: “The major financier of the fugitive and separatists was found to be a Federal Law Maker in the National Assembly.

“A total sum of one hundred and twenty-seven million, one hundred and forty-five thousand Naira only (127, 145, 000. 00) was received by Igboho from his financiers between 22nd October, 2013 and 28th September, 2020 through Adesun International Concept Ltd accounts.

“A total sum of two hundred and seventy-three million, one hundred and ninety- eight thousand, two hundred Naira only (N273,198,200.00) transaction outflows was recorded from Sunday Igboho’s account between 15th March, 2013 and 11 the March, 2021.

“Investigation reveals that Adesun International Concept Ltd (belonging to Igboho) transferred the sum of twelve million seven hundred and fifty thousand naira (N12, 750,000) to Abbal Bako & Sons.

“It might be recalled that Abbal Bako & Sons and its promoter Abdullahi Umar Usman are suspects in the on-going Joint Terrorist Financing Investigation. Abdullahi Umar Usman is by way of financial transaction connected to Surajo Abubakar Muhammad (who was sentenced to life imprisonment in UAE on charges of financing terrorism [Boko Haram].

“This report shows the nexus between separatists’ agitation, terrorism financing and disruptions of peace in the country.

The report found connections of financial transaction between Adesun International Concept Ltd (belonging to Igboho) and some construction companies and businesses among others.

“Having received the reports, the Federal Government remains resolute in its determination to have a peaceful Nigeria. The Federal Government will do the needful, within the context of the legal provisions, in ensuring that the matter is giving the deserved attention and those found guilty will be made to face the wrath of the law”, Malami added.

It will be recalled that operatives of the Department of State Services, DSS, had in the wee hours of July 2, raided Igboho’s Ibadan residence, an operation the agency confirmed led to the death of two persons and the arrest of about 13 others.

The DSS, through its spokesman, Dr. Peter Afunanya, said it carried out the raid after intelligence reports revealed that Igboho stockpiled weapons in his house.

The agency thereafter launched a manhunt for Igboho who was subsequently arrested in neighbouring Cotonou, Benin Republic, while trying to travel to Germany.

Vanguard

Thirty-four suspects arrested by security agents during a clampdown on protesters marking the first anniversary of the #EndSARS protest at the Lekki Toll Gate on Wednesday have been arraigned in court.

The state Police Public Relations Officer, CSP Adekunle Ajisebutu, in a statement on Thursday, said the suspects, some of whom were arrested with different weapons, were arraigned in Magistrate’s Court 5, in the Oshodi area of the state.

He stated that the memorial protest was peaceful without threat to the security of lives and property until some hoodlums infiltrated the protesters.

He noted that one Shina Edun, of Man O’ War personnel attached to the Lekki Concession Company, was stabbed in the stomach by the hoodlums, adding that the victim was rushed to the hospital for treatment.

Ajisebutu said, “Following the criminal act by the hoodlums, the police responded swiftly and dispersed them with minimum force. Consequently, 34 hoodlums were arrested. Two cutlasses, one hammer, a jackknife and assorted criminal charms were recovered from them.

“The arrested suspects have been arraigned in Magistrate Court 5, Oshodi on the same day before Magistrate Israel Adelakun for the offence of conduct likely to cause a breach of the peace.

He  continued, “At the end of their trial, two of the accused persons pleaded guilty and were fined the sum of N10, 000 each. 30 others pleaded not guilty and were granted bail with one surety and N20,000 in like sum.

 "One of them was discharged and acquitted, while one other named Chukwu Chika, 24, who was arrested with a sharp cutlass and assorted charms confessed that he deliberately came to cause violence and mayhem.

“The court ordered the police to carry out a thorough investigation on his case and charge him to court appropriately.”

Ajisebutu said the state Commissioner of Police, Hakeem Odumosu, apologized to any media person whose right was inadvertently infringed upon while the security personnel were preventing a breakdown of law and order.

“The CP assures members of the public that, in line with the policy of the Inspector-General of Police, Alkali Usman, of making the police accountable to members of the public, uphold the tenets and principles of fundamental human rights, and professional in carrying out their statutory duties, training and retraining of the officers and men shall continue to be intensified,” the statement read in part.

Punch

Muhammad Nami, executive chairman of Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), says the agency is proposing road infrastructure tax in Nigeria to make the informal sector contribute to building a modern society.

The informal sector has business activities that operate outside of government regulation and are largely unregistered. They include commercial bus drivers, artisans such as dressmakers, hairdressers, vulcanisers etc., mainly those in the low socio-economic strata, with low skills and poor education.

In a statement signed by Johannes Wojuola, media aide to the FIRS chairman, Nami disclosed this on Thursday while receiving a delegation of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) led by Chris Isiguzo, the National President, in his office, in Abuja.

According to the statement, Nami said the proposed road infrastructure tax to be administered by FIRS would provide the government with adequate funding for road construction, rehabilitation, and maintenance.

The statement added that the scheme would also provide the needed security for roads in the country.

“The only way to make the informal sector contribute to building a modern society is by making them pay when they use the roads,” Nami said.

“That is why we are proposing that government should consider introducing Road Infrastructure Tax in Nigeria.

“In many jurisdictions, road users pay for the use of road infrastructure as such it shouldn’t be seen as an additional burden on our citizens because it has the potential of making life better for all of us.”

Speaking further, Nami stated that the economy presently relies heavily on non-oil revenues to discharge its statutory responsibility of paying salaries and providing social amenities to the citizenry.

“Without the tax that you pay, governments at all levels would not be able to fulfil their mandate to the electorates. Tax money also helps to ensure the roads you travel are safe and always in good condition,” he added.

Nami also stated that despite sharp practices by some companies who were in the habit of evading taxes, by shifting their capital and profits to tax havens, as well as low revenue from Petroleum Profit Tax, due to the shortfall in crude oil production among other factors, FIRS has been putting forward critical reforms that have been yielding positive impact on the Service’s operations.

“Adopting technology in tax administration is crucial in improving domestic revenue mobilisation in view of dwindling oil prices in order to avoid falling into a debt crisis. It is against this backdrop that the TaxPro-Max became the channel for filing Naira-denominated tax returns effectively from 7th June 2021,” Nami said.

“The TaxPro-Max enables seamless registration, filing of returns, payment of taxes and automatic credit of withholding tax as well as other credits to the Taxpayer’s accounts, among other features. The technology also provides a single-view to Taxpayers for all transactions with the Service.”

Despite ongoing pending legal tussle on value-added tax (VAT) collection, Nami added that FIRS had created ten VAT regional coordination offices across the country to drive revenue collection.

He said FIRS collected N4.2 trillion between January and September 2021 as VAT following the “successful facilitation of ISO 27001:2013 Certification of the FIRS’ Exchange of Information Centre and the achievement of 114.66 percent of the VAT collection target in the first half of the year”.

While congratulating Isiguzo for his recent reelection as the national president, he urged NUJ members to be constructive and “should always confirm or verify sources and accuracy of information”.

Earlier, the NUJ national president said the visit of the union was part of his resolve to engage critical institutions as a stakeholder in charting a way forward for the country’s collective good.

Isiguzo described FIRS as a vital institution in the country, which “requires all the support when the country is security-challenged, adversely affected by Covid-19 and faced with FOREX crisis as well as political intrigues from different parts of the nation”.

The Cable

Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading Plc on Thursday provided statistics on misalignments in the power value chain, saying that about 14,000 megawatts of electricity was contracted to power generation companies.

Managing Director, NBET, Nnaemeka Ewelukwa, gave a breakdown of the quantum of Nigeria’s electricity demand, what was contracted, available capacity, what was produced, among others.

He provided these statistics while speaking during a plenary session at the World Energy Day Conference 2021, with the theme, ‘Energy Transition: Gas as Fuel of Choice’, organised by the Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

This came as the Group Executive Director, Gas and Power, Nigerian National Petroleum Company, Mohammed Ahmed, told participants at the event that about 77 million Nigerians were currently without access to electricity.

Providing statistics on Nigeria’s power situation, Ewelukwa said, “In terms of situating the gas discussion within the context of the power sector, we have some misalignments in the value chain which the government is trying to address.

“And that misalignment starts with the fact that in terms of the demand for electricity in the country, it is about 28,000MW. But when you look at the contracted capacity for electricity, it is about 14,000MW.

“You look at the current available capacity of electricity in terms of what was contracted, it is about 7,600MW. You look at transmission capacity, it is about 8,100MW.”

He added, “Now, of all these statistics the most important is what is the highest volume of electricity ever put on the grid; it is 5,800MW. So you see that it keeps dropping.”

The NBET boss explained that the 5,800MW was the highest peak ever attained in the history of Nigeria, but stressed that what was actually available on a day-to-day basis was between 4,000MW and 5,000MW.

“And of that 4,000MW to 5,000MW, because of issues relating to tariff, such as concerns about cost reflective tariff, what actually is paid on a monthly basis by the distribution companies is not up to that 4,000MW that is available,” Ewelukwa stated.

He, however, noted that the good thing was that there were plans within the government space to address the anomalies.

On his part, Ahmed, who was represented by the Managing Director, NNPC Gas and Power Investment Limited, Salihu Jamari, said Nigeria had about 200 trillion cubic feet of gas reserves that could be used for power generation, among others.

Punch

Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) has confirmed that suspected bandits on Wednesday destroyed a portion of the Abuja-Kaduna rail track with explosives, forcing a disruption of train services on the route.

According to the Managing Director of the NRC, Fidet Okhiria, explosives damaged the rail track at a spot between Dutse and Rijana, an area that had recorded numerous bandits’ attacks along the Kaduna Abuja highway.

Okhiria said the Corporation was making efforts to restore train services on the route.

“Efforts are currently ongoing to ensure that the train services along the Kaduna-Abuja route are fully restored,” the official said.

Earlier, a former senator representing Kaduna Central district, Shehu Sani, had reported on his Facebook page that suspected bandits attacked the Kaduna-Abuja train. He said the bandits planted an explosive that damaged the rail track and shattered the windshield of the train’s engine, Wednesday evening.

Sani said the gunmen also opened fire at the train on Thursday morning, targeting the driver and the tank of the train. “It happened between Dutse and Rijana stations. The Driver struggled to move towards Kaduna Rigasa station.

“This early morning, I was on board when our train ran over another explosive damaged railings. The train nearly skid off its track, then we miraculously escaped. All Kaduna Abuja train operations need to be suspended for today until this issue is addressed,” Sani wrote.

A staffer of the NRC quoted by Daily Nigerian newspaper said the attack was deadly.

“The bandits first attacked the last Abuja-Kaduna train bearing number AK9 between Rijana and Dutse. The train came under heavy gunfire, but it struggled to stutter for about seven kilometres and stopped as the gunshots damaged the fuel tank,” the newspaper quoted the unnamed staff.

“At the point of the attack, the train was unable to make contact with Abuja. Hours later, contact was made and a relief locomotive arrived past midnight.

“And then the morning train from Kaduna to Abuja, bearing number KA2, also ran over fractured rail tracks, but successfully completed the journey. Suspected explosives devices were planted on the track, but God in his infinite mercy saved the travellers and train.”

The NRC had earlier on Monday announced the reduction of regular transportation of passengers on the route from 10 trips to four daily, citing maintenance work.

Pictures circulating on social media showed a shattered front window of the train, damages to the coaches and people who were inspecting destroyed parts of the rail line.

Some travellers are opting to travel by rail after several people were kidnapped by armed bandits on some of Nigeria's highways, especially in the northwest of the country.

Nigeria is battling an Islamist insurgency in the northeast and armed bandits who have kidnapped hundreds of students, travellers and villagers for ransom, leaving the population terrified.

PT/Reuters