A security and intelligence expert, Dr. Kabiru Adamu, has said that the country’s entire rail system is vulnerable to attack.
Adamu said this during an interview on Channels TV’s Sunrise Daily program, monitored by our correspondent on Monday morning.
the punch reported on Sunday that dozens of passengers waiting to board a train from Igueben station in Igueben local government area in Edo state to Warri in Delta state were kidnapped by suspected herdsmen on Saturday night.
However, Adamu regretted the absence of security agents at the train station, as well as security devices such as security cameras that could help in the investigation and early detection of what happened.
He said: “Accountability is a big challenge. We have an information minister who promised us that the security level on the railway is adequate and he is confident that this is why he is resuming rail services when the Abuja-Kaduna rail service resumed and I am sure he felt that applied . to the entire railway infrastructure of the country.
“But unfortunately this incident has clearly shown and confirmed what we said when he (the minister) made that statement.
“I explained earlier what a good security posture should be anywhere, and I can tell you with all sense of responsibility that unfortunately the entire rail infrastructure remains vulnerable.”
Adamu further said that preventive measures such as CCTV cameras should be installed in all railway stations and estates across the country, adding that the attacked station did not have any CCTV which would have helped in the event of an attack. .
He also added that the early warning system through traditional rulers, communities, market councils and others should be used effectively to prevent or even prevent further attacks as information or intelligence can be shared early to prevent attacks of any kind. .
The Edo train attack comes 10 months after bandits attacked the Abuja-Kaduna train service, killing 14 passengers and kidnapping 65 others. They were released after spending months in captivity and paying ransoms.
Edo police public relations officer Chidi Nwabuzor confirmed the incident in a statement, stating that the hijackers, armed with AK 47s, invaded the train station and fired sporadically into the air before kidnapping dozens of travelers on the train. mountain.
However, he said that security agencies were coming into the bushes looking for the kidnapped passengers.
the punchIt also reported that Police Inspector General Usman Baba had sent special police squads, including the Intelligence Response Team and the Anti-Terrorist Squad, to Edo State to rescue the victims and supplement the efforts of the police in the condition.
Two kidnapped victims have been rescued while a suspect in connection with the attack has been detained, with 31 other passengers still missing.
