Terrorists’ Attack On Abuja-Kaduna Train And Failure of National Leadership

The violent explosive attack on Abuja-Kaduna AK9 train on Monday 28th March, 2022 during which some passengers were killed, others injured and some reportedly kidnapped is one national tragedy that has once again brought to the fore, the insensitivity of our leadership to the issue of security and safety of the citizenry in spite of its claim to the contrary.

Happening at a time, Nigerians were beginning to see the joy of riding in train and concluding that it is the safest means of transportation in a volatile environment like Nigeria, the incident obviously came as a kill joy with its attendant consequences on the psyche of the citizenry.

We make bold to say that the incident came as a result of failure of our national leaders to truly come to terms with reality of the time we live in.  Otherwise, if the initial reaction of the Minister of Transport, Rotimi Amaechi to the Monday incident is anything to go by, the average Nigerian needs no further conviction to believe that those who decide for us in the corridors of power, are self- centered human beings.

Amaechi sounded it loud that if his colleagues had not objected to his proposal of integrating security mechanism into the railway project, the terrorist attackers would have been checkmated.

Matters were made worse by the allegation that the Department of State Service (DSS) from intelligence gathered, advised against night train services, yet the authorities defied such warning.

As the Kaduna state governor, Mallam El-Rufai, revealed, intelligence report indicated that terrorists could attack the train service and nothing was done.

More annoying is the allegation that the hideouts of these bandits working in concert with Boko Haram terrorists were known to the military who failed to bombard them and prevent the havoc that was eventually wreaked on innocent citizens.

The issue of insecurity in Nigeria has become quite worrisome and troublesome such that no aspect of our national life ought to be taken for granted. A multi billion naira investment like train services which had come as a dividend of democracy has regrettably been neglected in a manner that unsettles the entire nation.

We feel hugely disappointed with the allegation that  some members of the Federal Executive Council were highly opposed to the Minister of Transport’s quest for integration of security mechanism in the train project. If the allegation is true, it obviously reinforces the belief in some quarters that most of our national leaders are not interested in the security,  peace and unity of the country.

The 2023 general elections are fast approaching and political activities are about heating up the polity amidst the insecurity that pervades the length and breadth of the country.  With the observable laxity and obvious unseriousness in the ranks of our national leadership, the preparation for 2023 elections leaves the nation in a very dangerous state.

The terrorists, bandits, kidnappers and other gunmen are upping their nefarious activities over the land. It is therefore expedient that government of the day should be more proactive on matters of security as it is their constitutional responsibility to provide security for every citizen.