By NewsBits
Engr. Mu’azu Jaji Sambo, Nigeria’s Minister of Transportation has announced that the Abuja – Kaduna train operations would resume later this month but did not place a definite date for the resumption.
It would be recalled that on March 28, some terrorists suspected to be Fulani attacked a Kaduna-bound train, killing about eight passengers, injuring many others, while several others were abducted and taken into the bush from where they demanded millions in ransom for their release.
Since that deadly incident, several attempts by the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) to resume operations had failed as a result of the victims in the hands of the kidnappers. But last month, the last batch of kidnapped passengers, were eventually set free by the terrorists after they had spent 191 days in captivity.
“The Abuja – Kaduna mishap was indeed a very sad one. And by the grace of God, we shall not witness anything like that again,” the minister said, adding, “Not only because we are committed that to prayer but we have also deliberately taken steps.
“Like you said, yes, indeed, lessons have been learned. And these lessons will be put into place. What are the lessons, safety and security surveillance, constant monitoring 24/7 and seven days a week, 12 months a year, all around the clock. The Minister should be able to sit in his office and look at the rail corridor and see what is happening there.
“The President should be able to do that. The director-general of the state security service (SSS) should be able to do that and so on and all other security agencies. These are the measures we have put in place. Nobody will again shave our heads behind our backs.
“This month of November, we shall resume that service. Remember, I told you for those of you who are reporters from the state house, that we will not resume this service until every Nigerian held in captivity was reunited with their families.
“God has made that possible to security agencies in this country, under the able leadership and support of Mr. President. And it is now history. Not one of them (the hostages) was injured. Not one of them was hurt. Praise God”.
