The managing director, Nigerian Railway Corporation, Fidet Okhiria, has said that 14 of the 22 passengers abducted on the Abuja-Kaduna bound train were found alive and safe.

Mr Okhiria disclosed in an update on the attack and abduction of passengers on the train in the Kateri-Rijana area of Kaduna State.

“A total of 22 persons are reported missing by their relatives while eight persons confirmed dead,” he said.

He said that 362 validated passengers were on board the attacked AK9 train service.

“No fewer than 186 persons on the manifest are confirmed to be safe and at their various homes with additional 14 persons confirmed safe today.

“Also, 51 phone numbers on the manifest are either switched off or not reachable since Tuesday morning. A total of 35 phone numbers on the manifest are ringing, but no response from the other end.

“Another 60 phone numbers on the manifest when called respond non-existent,” he said.

Mr Okhiria said intensive work continues on track repairs, adding that more concrete sleepers were moved to the site while some sections of the twisted tracks had been straightened.

He reassured that the corporation would continue to update the general public on the developments to prevent misleading information and falsehood.

(NAN)