The Minister of Transportation, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi, says about eight persons have so far been confirmed dead and 41 hospitalised in the recent attack on the Kaduna-bound train.
Amaechi, who made the disclosure while inspecting the scene of the attack, described the situation as devastating.
“We don’t have all the figures of missing persons, kidnapped and those injured at the moment.
“The numbers we have is that there are eight casualties. There are about 41 persons in different hospitals and the total number of passengers who got tickets is 398.
“So, we have to wait on the security, the Kaduna State government, and the Nigerian Railway Corporation. They are all trying to make contact with those on the manifest.
“There are few persons who are not on the manifest like the staff of the NRC, staff of the cleaning contractor, they are not on the manifest and we may not be able to completely account for them but those on the manifest, calls are being made to reach them,” Amaechi said.
On the security sensors, the minister said its installation was delayed because of rigorous procurement process.
”The process is tedious, the approval is also tedious, we have not been able to get that approval that will lead to purchase of those items.
“If those items were here, drones alone will tell you that there are people around the rail tracks because there are drones, there are equipment that pick sensors if you touch the track.
“But unfortunately the process has not been able to get us that approval for us to import those items.
“So for me, I am devastated and I honestly don’t know what to tell Nigerians anymore.”
The Minister said it was not enough having cameras inside the train, adding that a high tech camera that would detect objects from afar was necessary.
“The cameras in the train cannot pick what is happening outside. What you need is a camera that shows 100 metres away from the train, that there are unknown persons carrying gun.
“Then, we can take precaution, but we have done all we need to do in the ministry of transport and we have forwarded to them for approval but we have not gotten approval.
“The patrol vehicles are available but they cannot reach everywhere. For the areas the patrol can patrol, it will forestall.
“We are thinking about the possibility of employing natives until we get those equipment.
We also need helicopters, beyond the drones, we need helicopters,” Amaechi added.
The minister, who stated that the NRC may suspend the evening train, however, noted that stopping was not the solution but providing appropriate technology that would ensure security.
“The solution is not in running away from the militants or the bandits. The solution is providing the technology that lets you know that they are around.
“If it lets you know that they are around, there are two actions to take; either for the security men to go after them or you don’t ply within that period.
“But the agencies that need to give us approval have to give us the approval because we need to purchase those items.
“No matter the cost, you cannot equate it with the eight lives that were lost. The equipment were just N3billion and we are about to place order for the one in Lagos but we need to know what is happening on the track, it is everywhere in the world,” he said.
On the perimeter fencing, Amaechi said some areas that have it were being demolished and it was not high enough to protect one from criminals, except for cows.
The minister reiterated the importance of getting approval to purchase the necessary equipment as human lives were involved.
“I had warned earlier that it is important they get us this approval because human lives would be involved. Since that warning till today, we have had two incidents.
“What kind of due process is that? When I say due process, it does not necessarily mean BPP but whatever agency it is, they need to get us approval so that we can get out of cabinet.
“Even if they get us approval, it will take some months to acquire them from overseas to install them. We need to do that to enable us see from Kaduna-Abuja, Itakpe-Warri, and from Lagos-Ibadan. What is going on?
”So that we don’t continue to lose lives because lives are important. If we don’t do that, more people will die.
“The cost was about N3billion and the damage here is more than N3billion. So, if we had gotten the approval, we would have saved the N3billion and saved lives,” Amaechi reiterated.
The Chairman, NRC, Ibrahim Alhassan, said the attack was anticipated and measures were taken to avoid it.
Alhassan said: Two months back, we got information that some people were carrying out surveillance of the tracks.
“And the information was passed to the relevant authorities and I think some things were done and nothing happened.”
He said it was unfortunate that the attack occurred, adding that the NRC was doing all that was necessary to abate such reoccurrence.
”We would like to thank Nigerians, our passengers, and people who patronise us, their families, we would like to offer our condolences, our concern, and sympathies, we hope with God Almighty, this thing never repeats itself again.
”We are going to, on our part, take some measures. To do our own scheduling thing like that and i believe the government and security agencies will come to our assistance with more help and assistance. I believe we are going to overcome this.
”It is not going to deter us, honestly, we are not going to give up because of this.
“The only thing we want is the cooperation of everybody, especially people living along the corridor, when they see any suspicious activity, they should report such.
“I believe people should help us to help all of us,” Alhassan said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that during the minister’s inspection, Gidan train station and the community around were attacked by bandits.
The train with the minister and his entourage heading to Abuja from the visit to the scene of Monday’s attack was made to stop for some minutes before proceeding on the trip.
Security personnel were, however, seen around the area after the staff of NRC was said to have fled the scene.
This is the second attack within 24 hours along the same axis.
NAN.
