Falana demands Amaechi, NRC MD’s probe over Kaduna train attack

A Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Femi Falana, on Monday demanded the probe of the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, and the Managing Director of the Nigeria Railway Corporation, Fidet Okhiria, over the bombing of an Abuja-Kaduna passenger train by armed bandits.

At least eight were confirmed dead and 30 others injured when an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) planted by the criminals on the train went off and forced the machine to skid off the rail track around Kateri-Rijana area of Kaduna State.

In a statement he personally signed, the rights activist asked President Muhammadu Buhari to order the Inspector-General of Police, Usman Baba, to probe Amaechi and the NRC chief for constantly deceiving Nigerians about the safety of the railway despite intelligence to the contrary.

He said: Although both Messrs Amaechi and Okhiria knew that the Abuja-Kaduna train was not safe, they kept on giving passengers a false sense of security.

READ ALSO: Nigeria needs over N3bn to fix equipment damaged in Kaduna train attack – Amaechi

“Since both of them knew that the tragedy that befell the nation last week was waiting to happen and did not adopt measures to prevent it, the President should direct the Inspector-General of Police to investigate and prosecute them for criminal negligence. Meanwhile, both of them should not be allowed to continue to risk the lives of train passengers in the country.

“Following the terrorist attack on the Abuja-Kaduna train last week, the Minister of Transportation blamed the Federal Government for exposing passengers to danger by not acquiring and installing the vital security equipment recommended by him.

“But evidence has since established that the incompetent company recommended to fix the security surveillance on the train by the minister was rejected last September. It means that for the past seven months the minister abandoned security surveillance for some inexplicable reasons.”

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