A sum of N18 million has been approved for disbursement to families of nine persons killed in the Abuja-Kaduna train attackby terrorists.
This was disclosed by the Executive Secretary of the Kaduna State Emergency Management Agency (KADSEMA), Mr Muhammed Mukaddas, on Wednesday in Kaduna.
He said that Gov. Nasir El-Rufa’i of Kaduna State had on April 19 approved the disbursement of N2 million each to the families of the deceased in the Abuja-Kaduna train attack.
Mukaddas said that the governor had equally approved the disbursement of N250, 000 each to 22 persons severely wounded during the train attack.
The KADSEMA executive secretary said that the donation was not a compensation a form of support for the bereaved families.
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.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.
Mukaddas further said that the agency collaborated with the ministry of health to settle the medical bills of the victims as well as ensured drugs and consumables were supplied to both 44 Nigeria Army Reference and St. Gerald’s hospitals.
Bandits had on March 28 attacked an Abuja- Kaduna train at Katari, Kaduna State, killing no fewer than eight passengers with several others sustaining injuries while a yet-to-be- ascertained number of others were abducted.
