Abuja-Kaduna Train Attack: Workers Union Blames Railway Management

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.

Comrade Segun Esan, Secretary General, NUR, in a statement to journalists said that the union 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 train, which was not observed by the railway management.

This is as the management of the NRC kept mute on the allegations leveled against it by the railway union.

Recall that about 398 passengers on board the ill-fated train fell victims to an attack from bandits, with Chinelo Nwando Megafu, a dental surgeon; the Secretary-General of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), Comrade (Barr.) Musa-Lawal Ozigi, and Kwara State Chairman, Comrade Akin Akinsola, confirmed dead from the attack.

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 happened about 8p.m on Monday.

The statement added: “As a responsible union, we are completely touched and held in thrall that such a dastardly and unprovoked terrorist attack can befall the flagship and the essence of our operational existence as a corporation for the second time in quick succession having tasted the gall of this terrorist attack on our passenger train in October 2021.

“We regret that there is no proof that all our observations expressed to the NRC management on improving the security and safety of the train service were taken especially our advice that night train service be stopped till security situation of the service is improved with on-train CCTV, explosives detectors and other technology-based approaches.”

Esan further appealed 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.

Besides, he emphasised that the President General of NUR and members of the Central Working Committee would visit the accident scene shortly for a first-hand assessment of the incident.

“However, our prayers and heartfelt concern are with some of our railway workers and other innocent commuting passengers who might have been tragically traumatised or sustained various degrees of wounds in the incident,” the statement added.

He, however, assured that the union would not relent in its effort at making railway truly and practically safe for all.

However, when contacted Engr. Fidet Okhiria, the Managing Director of NRC, on the allegations leveled against the management by the union, he declined to comment on it.

Okhiria in a telephone call simply replied: “I have nothing to say. I don’t have anything to say.”

Suspected bandits on Monday attacked an Abuja-Kaduna bound train, spraying bullets at the moving locomotive. They also succeeded in destroying the rail track, disrupting train services.

It would be recalled that bandits had on October 20, 2021 attacked Abuja-Kaduna train.

The attack led to the exchange of gunfire between the bandits and security agents attached to the train and passengers sustaining injuries in trying to hide for safety.

The train, which took off at its usual time, 6p.m, from Rigasa Station in Kaduna was attacked by the bandits between Rijana and Dutse Station.

A staff of NRC then had said that the railway workers expected the attack, stressing that the workers saw the several signs indicating that there would be an attack.