Edo train attack deliberate, NRC reveals

The Managing Director Nigerian Railway Cooperation, Fidet Ohkiria, on Tuesday disclosed that the attacks in the Nigeria Railway system were deliberate attacks.

According to him, security cannot be 100 per cent guaranteed, adding that even the United States of America still have challenges of security

The NRC boss said this when he appeared on Sunrise Daily on Channels TV monitored by our correspondent in Abuja.

He said that the Edo State Commissioner of Police and his men are still in search of the bandits and are also doing everything possible to ensure the release of the other victims, adding that the remaining victims are suspected to be divided into groups.

“From what they are saying, I think they divided the people in captive in groups. That is the information I have.”

When asked if there are possibilities that in the next 24hours another set would be rescued he said,”We hope so, the intensity the security and community have deployed to ensure that we are not embarrassed. I think something good will happen very soon because people have been out there since Saturday and they are still there.”

Speaking on security measures the government had said they put in place to ensure safety on the railway system and what went wrong this time, Okhiria said, “nothing went wrong, as I said you plan and you also have people who are trying to sabotage your thoughts.

“At this point we have not gotten to the peak of that security architecture we want in our stations, although it is out of the ordinary; we don’t have that in railway operations.

“We have been liaising with the security agents, the Inspector General of Police, Chief of Defence Staff, Chief of Army Staff and Chief of Air Staff to raise the security committee that the Minister of Transportation, Mu’azu Sambo, setup which is made up of the military personnel and to ensure that the right people are deployed to our train station and to the train.

“I don’t think there is perfect security situation even the United States they still tackle security issues. We just pray that Nigerians change their minds because that is the best way we can live in peace and the earlier we apprehend these evil people the better for everyone.”

He further said that security measures were not been limited to Abuja-Kaduna or Lagos-Ibadan train stations, adding that when they are talking of security it is general security for the railway system being referred to.

When asked since the NRC said the security installed is general security for the railway system why was the Edo train station attacked he said, “I don’t want to go into a debate, it has happened we should look ahead and see how we can make sure it doesn’t happen again it doesn’t mean there is no 100 per cent railway system that cannot be sabotaged.”

-punch news