Following the Monday night attack on Kaduna-Abuja train, the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) on Wednesday said as leaders, they owe the victims and their relations an apology as these unwarranted acts of violence are becoming too regular.
The governors condemned the attack, describing the incident as a horror dream orchestrated by the wicked merchants of death.
Gunmen suspected to be terrorists, bombed the Abuja- Kaduna train between Katari and Rigina axis, leaving at least eight passengers dead, while 26 were injured, and an unspecified number of passengers are believed to be abducted by the terrorists.
Dr. Kayode Fayemi, the Chairman, NGF and governor of Ekiti State, in a statement, said the attack is one too many, that must stop.
“The Kaduna-Abuja train attack on Monday night is a horror dream orchestrated by the wicked merchants of death that we must all wake up from to address. “This is one attack too many.
It must stop. First, as leaders, we owe the victims and their relations an apology as these unwarranted acts of violence are becoming too regular and they basically question our collective capacity to govern.
“God will grant those that lost their lives eternal peace and a place in the deepest recesses of heaven.
We wish those that were injured speedy recovery to resume their lives and put their heartless aggressors to shame.
“If the intention of these murderers is to disrupt the peaceful coexistence of Nigerians, they will not succeed and when eventually total peace returns to the country, they will surely either be lifeless or excluded. I can assure you that this is an ugly phase in our national experience. It will certainly pass.
“While expressing our sincere condolences to Nigerians particularly the government and good people of Kaduna State, we want to salute the bravery of our security forces in curtailing the magnitude of havoc this attack was intended to visit on innocent travelers. Our prayers are with you.
“We would continue to drum our support for the professional work you do and provide assistance in enhancing your operational strength and combat readiness. We recognise the enormous risk you take every day.
“The cowards behind this will certainly not take over our country.
Their violent demeanour will not result in anything positive instead it will confine them to an uncomfortable life in the jungle until the long arm of the law catches up with them.
“On a final note, the NGF will want to call on the authorities to immediately install all necessary safeguards to forestall future acts of banditry on our rail tracks, roads, ports and borders.
“We need not remind those concerned that these constitute a major backbone to our national assets.
“We need to improve on security intelligence and ability to act on intelligence gathered.
In general, we need to give comfort to all our citizens, residents and investors that the security of lives and property can be taken for granted. And that there is a government that is clearly in charge of what needs to be done”, read the statement in parts.
North Is Under Siege, ACF Laments
Meanwhile, the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) on Wednesday described as unacceptable, the frequency of attacks on its towns and villages, highways and now train tracks and airports, lamenting the region is under siege.
The Kaduna-Abuja train terrorists’ attack Monday night resulted in the death of eight persons, with over 46 people believed to have sustained various degrees of injuries including an unspecified number of people that were kidnapped.
A statement by Malam Murtala Aliyu, Secretary General, ACF, commiserated with the families of the deceased, sympathised with the wounded and prayed of an end to such ugly menace, not only in Kaduna State, but all over the federation.
“As a guardian and custodian of the welfare and integrity of the North, the ACF is tired of crying out on the issue of security, and other challenges, in the Northern part of the country.
“It is curious that a train carrying almost 1000 (one thousand) passengers be exposed to the kind of situation we found, on the fateful Monday evening, without any precautionary measures taken.
It would be recalled that, some few months ago, there was a blast on the same route, and the government promised on taking a concrete measure to avert any future occurrence, is yet to materialise.
“Moreover, the fact that both air and rail systems, out of Kaduna, have been compromised, it is to be expected that a sensitive government should protect the only route (Kaduna/Abuja highway).
“Currently, banditry and terrorism have excised the North and the major economic activities of North- East, North-West, with a new ploy to block the main gateway (Kaduna State), to the northern part of the country.
It regrets that, despite all efforts claimed by security agencies and governments, at various levels, they have been unable to put an end to such banditry and terrorism.
After all, nearly all necessary equipment to do this are said to have been acquired, especially, the fighter planes, recurrent recruitments of security personnel, etc.”, the statement noted.
ACF called on the federal and state governments to, as a matter of urgency, revisit their security architecture in the protection of lives and properties, as the current one seems to have failed.
It cautioned on what it terms as unnecessary attacks that stretches the security and economic services in the country.
“One can easily recall how the lives and economy of Borno, Zamfara, Sokoto, Niger, and Kaduna (Birnin Gwari and Southern parts of Kaduna) were damaged, and now, taking their turn on the infrastructure.
“The Arewa Consultative Forum calls on government to put a 24-hour surveillance on the route to at least avert the ugly situations occurring.
“ACF equally, prevails on the AZMAN and Air Peace airlines to have a rethink over their resolve to suspend flights to Kaduna International Airport. Such action contributes, negatively, to the resolve of the problems”, it said.
According to ACF, the tolerance of the Northern population shall, by now, have been exhausted, as all their economic activities have been grounded and left in perpetual fear.
