About 52 cows were yesterday crushed to death by an Abuja-bound train, Kaduna State Commissioner of Police, Ahmad Abdulrahman.
He said the command received a distress call of the accident at 11.45am, adding that he personally led principal staff of the command to the spots at Kasarami in Jere District of Kargarko Local Government Area of Kaduna.
“When we got to the spot, we found out that contrary to earlier reports of attack by insurgents, what actually happened was an accident,” the commissioner said.
According to him, some Fulani herders who passed the night at Kasarami asked if they could cross over with their cattle and were misinformed that there is no rail service on Sunday.
“It was when they were half way across the track, that a fast moving train from Rigasa station on its way to Abuja approached the spot where the cattle were crossing on a high speed and in the process, it crushed to death 52.”
He said 27 cattle that were still alive were ordered to be slaughtered and sold out to reduce the loss on the herder.
While noting that no human life was lost, he added, “The Fulani herders were on their way back to Katsina State. I had a meeting with their leaders and the farmers in the area to check future occurrence.”
He called on the people of Kaduna State to go about with their lawful activities as the command is doing everything to ensure that lives and property are protected in the state.
The Manager of the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) Mr. Paschal Nnorli told our correspondent on phone that the incident happened around Rijana station.
Also speaking, the Operations Manager of the Abuja-Kaduna rail service Mr. Victor Adamu said “a herdsman decided to push his cows on top of railway bridge at km130 between Dutse and Rijana section, while our train was approaching from a curve.”
According to Mr. Adamu, “On sighting the cows, the driver kept blasting the train horn and applying the emergency brake to reduce the casualties and to control his train and passengers onboard.”
“Thank God all passengers on board were saved and no derailment,” he said.
Daily Trust reports that the $1.1bn Abuja-Kaduna standard gauge rail line, which is already two years in operation, was supposed to have a fence around the tracks from Abuja to Kaduna to keep away straying animals.
However, funds and insecurity have made it difficult for the contractor CCECC to build the fence.