Train attack: Help Nigeria rescue abducted passengers, National Assembly begs China

The Joint National Assembly Joint Committee on Land Transportation has begged the Chinese government to come to the aid of Nigeria in rescuing the victims of Kaduna train attack. The Chairman, Senate Committee on Land Transportation, Senator Abdulfatai Buhari, who spoke on  behalf of the committee, during an oversight visit to Obafemi Awolowo Train Station […]

The Joint National Assembly Joint Committee on Land Transportation has begged the Chinese government to come to the aid of Nigeria in rescuing the victims of Kaduna train attack.

The Chairman, Senate Committee on Land Transportation, Senator Abdulfatai Buhari, who spoke on  behalf of the committee, during an oversight visit to Obafemi Awolowo Train Station in Ibadan, Oyo State, expressed sadness over the failure to rescue victims of the attack 47 days after.

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The Senator however called on the Chinese Government to intervene to fast-track the rescue of the affected victims.

The lawmaker, who represents Oyo North in the National Assembly, said the incident of March 28 put spanner in the minds of Nigerians who had started embracing railway.

He said there was nothing wrong with the Chinese Government coming to the aid of Nigeria to rescue the victims since it is actively involved in railway projects in Nigeria.

Daily Trust reports that the 159-km Abuja-Kaduna Train line was constructed by China Civil Engineering and Construction Corporation (CCECC), a construction giant in China and funded by the China Export and Import Bank.

Buhari added that if China could be helping Russia in its ongoing war with Ukraine, there was nothing wrong in assisting Nigeria in the present circumstance.

He said, “Today makes it exactly 47 days that some Nigerians were abducted from the Abuja-Kaduna passenger train, yet nothing has been done to rescue them.

“Yesterday, some of the families of the abducted passengers met with the Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, and the accusation was that we the lawmakers are not doing anything about rescuing their relatives in captivity.

“What effort is the Chinese Government putting in place to assist the Nigerian Government in rescuing this people? The Chinese Government makes money from the many rail projects that are being handled by the China Civil Engineering Construction Company (CCECC) here in Nigeria, so asking them to help us is not out of place.

“Nigerians are no longer ready to listen to the number of passengers that has been carried by the trains since they were commissioned. Nigerians are not interested in what has been put in the various stations by the CCECC. What we want to hear now is the effort being put into rescuing those people in captivity.

“If a Chinese national was among those people abducted, we know that the Chinese Government would have come to rescue him.

“I remembered when an American was kidnapped, the Americans came and took him away from where he was held captive. We know that with the level of technology that the Chinese have, even without leaving Beijing, they can help us track where these people are, or even give us enough intelligence that would aid their rescue.

“Imagine one of the abducted passengers giving birth while in captivity. This is unfair to Nigerians. When the Chinese came to help us build tbe trains, we were happy because it changed the way Nigerians use rail transport. However, the March 28 terrorists attack on the Abuja-Kaduna passenger train has succeeded in turning what gave us joy initially to sorrow.”

He stated that Nigeria cannot compare with China when it comes to technology deployment and security, saying if Russia could be asking for help from China in fighting Ukraine, there was nothing wrong for Nigeria to seek international support.

“This is not an issue about loss of confidence or not. We are talking about human lives in danger. It’s been 47 days, and these people are still in captivity. You cannot compare the technology at the disposal of the Chinese with Nigeria. Even if they won’t show us, let them help us from their base in Beijing,” Buhari added.

Director of Operations of NRC, Mr. Niyi Ali who represented the Managing Director, Engr. Fidet Okhiria said the corporation is working with the security agencies to secure the release of those in captivity.

He disclosed that the corporation is deploying technology and increasing policing on the Abuja-Kaduna passenger train by the time the service resumes.

“We are deploying technology and it is only then when we are sure of that we would open up the line.

“That would give people the assurance that things are being done. However also on the existing lines, we are doing the same thing. We are increasing technology. We are increasing policing. We are using some things that I can’t really talk about on camera.

“But what I want to say is that the Nigerian Railway Corporation is doing everything possible within its power and with other sister agencies to ensure the security of our passengers on board.”

Also, the Deputy Managing Director of CCECC and the Project Manager, Xia Lijun also expressed sadness over the incident.

In response to the call by the lawmakers, he said the CCECC as a corporation is not operating on behalf of the Chinese Government and also prayed for improved security in Nigeria to prevent a recurrence of the train attack.