Hawzah News Agency – MURIC’s input was contained in a press statement issued on Wednesday 30th March, 2022 by its director and founder, Professor Ishaq Akintola.
The statement reads :
Bandits attacked the Abuja-Kaduna train yesterday Monday, 28th March, 2022. The attack led to the killing and abduction of some passengers. We strongly condemn this attack. It was mindless, vicious, brutal and barbaric. This is also a major evidence of the extent to which unscrupulous elements can go to sabotage the good efforts of the government to provide comfort for the citizens.
With hindsight, the latest attack may not have been too surprising particularly with the ominous signs presented by previous activities of bandits in the zone. It is obvious that Kaduna Airport was attacked last week because the bandits had become desperate since they could not find enough victims on the roads.
Our security agencies should be more proactive. Intelligence Transport Systems (ITS) should be used in all our transportation networks starting with the modern railway line and critical national routes of our roads. They should all be linked with control rooms of the security agencies. We also need tactical surveillance teams at critical locations along the modern railway lines. Not only that, unmanned aircrafts and drones can be used to collect information during the trains’ working hours. This will prevent criminal elements from springing surprise attacks on innocent passengers.
The citizenry must also be security conscious. They need to complement government’s efforts. Nobody should tell us that the present government did the wrong thing by introducing a modern rail system but the people benefiting from it must be prepared to pass information about suspicious moves at sabotage.
We call on Nigerians to look beyond this mindless attack. It is the work of saboteurs, rebellious subjects and enemies of peace. Nigerians must not allow the tragic incident to test their will. Rather, we must unite against those who seek to destroy our fragile civilisation and our nascent democracy. We must speak with one voice targeted at the inhumanity of man to man. The criminals are not happy with the progress being made. They want to drag us back to the Stone Age. We must resist them.
No single government, no matter how popular, or how powerful, can be competent enough to repel terrorists and saboteurs. The people must become partners with government. They must become eyes and ears of the security agencies. The modern trains on Abuja-Kaduna, Lagos-Ibadan and Itakpe-Warri should be enough to inspire patriotism.
Patriots all over the world stand with their governments. That was what Americans did when the country was attacked by terrorists in 2001. That is what the Ukrainians are doing now against the invading ultra-Red communist war criminals. We must unite against those who are making it difficult for innocent citizens to enjoy the dividends of democracy.
The media has a special role to play at this critical point. There is no professionalism in celebrating terror. Nobody is immune from terrorists’ attacks, not even journalists. That is why all hands must be on deck in the fight against insecurity. Terrorists are cowards who pick on soft targets to embarrass government and traumatise the citizenry, including journalists. That is why all media fora must mobilise themselves against marauding bandits and terrorists.
The modern trains introduced by this administration are superb and they are reducing the sufferings of travellers but it is now time to leverage on the infotech facilities at our disposal to make the trips hitch-free. Nonetheless, the challenge of insecurity should not be seen as a mark of failure of the project. We must put saboteurs and enemies of the people to shame by forging ahead. We must not surrender to terrorists. Nigeria is on course.
Professor Ishaq Akintola,
Director,
Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC)