Railway mgt disregarded our advice on night movement, technology Union
Survivors of the bombed Abuja-Kaduna bound train have given a vivid view of how terrorists operated on the train, saying that the terrorists came with a bus and abducted VIPs from the business class of the train.
Recall that the train was attacked on Monday by terrorists, with some passengers reported killed and others abducted at about 8. pm.
However, according to a survivor, who did not want his name mentioned in print, The terrorists had access to the train and kidnapped people. They came with a bus to pick people from the business class. There were casualties in the train.
A sympathiser, who also spoke about the incident, said, We arrived in Kaduna around 1.30 am this morning. The person sitting beside my friend was killed. Right now, my friend is so traumatised that she cant even sleep or allow her husband to leave her in the room alone.
“My friends story is one of confusion, mayhem and death; she told me that the bandits accessed the train, killed many, and took some away. To get home, they had to trek through the bushes, over hills to the road.
Meanwhile, the National Union of Railway Men, (NUR), has said that the management of the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) disregarded its advice on suspension of night train service till the security situation in the country improves.
The NUR Secretary-General, Comrade Segun Esan, in an issued statement to newsmen yesterday, said that the unions had proposed to the management to stop night train service when the train was first attacked in the same axis in October 2021, but regretted that its advice was taken with the pinch of salt.
Besides, Esan emphasised that the union also advised the management to install Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) cameras, explosive detectors and other technology-based approaches on trains, which was not observed by the railway management.
Esan expressed shock that the deadly attack could happen on the train barely five months after the first one on the same Abuja-Kaduna passenger train, which occurred on Monday.
Esan further stated that the leadership of the union would make a specific pronouncement on the unfortunate incident soon, stressing that it was gathering information and processing same analytically, with a view to arriving at rational convergence leading to making a definite official pronouncement.
He, however, assured that the union would not relent in its effort at making the railway truly and practically safe for all.
However, when the Managing Director of NRC, Engr. Fidet Okhiria, was contacted regarding the allegations leveled against it by the unions, he declined to comment on it.
