The National Union of Railway Men (NUR),says the management of the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) shunned its advice to shelve night train service until.the security situation in the country improves.
Comrade Segun Esan, Secretary General, NUR conveyed this in a statement to journalists on Tuesday.
According to him,the unions had proposed to the management to stop night train service when the train was first attacked in the same axis in October 2021, but lamented that its advice fell on the deaf ears of the managers of the corporation.
He disclosed that the union also advised the management to install Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) cameras, explosive detectors and other technology-based approaches on train, which was not observed by the railway management.
He said the attack could happen on the train barely five months after the first one on the same Abuja -Kaduna passenger train, which happened around 8pm on Monday.
The statement added: “As a responsible union, we are completely touched and held in thrall that such a dastardly and unprovoked terrorist attack can befall the flagship and the essence of our operational existence as a Corporation for the second time in quick succession having tasted the gall of this terrorist attack on our passenger train in October 2021.
“We regret that there is no proof that all our observations expressed to the NRC management on improving the security and safety of the train service were taken especially our advice that night train service be stopped till security situation of the service is improved with on-train CCTV, explosives detectors and other technology-based approaches.”
Esan further appealed stated that the leadership of the union would make a specific pronouncement on the unfortunate incident soon, stressing that it was gathering information and processing same analytically with a view to arriving at rational convergence leading to making a definite official pronouncement.
He said the President General of NUR and members of the Central Working Committee would visit the accident scene shortly for a first-hand assessment of the incident.
“However, our prayers and heartfelt concern are with some of our railway workers and other innocent commuting passengers who might have been tragically traumatized or sustained various degrees of wounds in the incident,” the statement added.
He assured that the union would not relent in its effort at making railway truly and practically safe for all.
1071400cookie-checkTrain Attack: Railway Mgt Shun Our Advice On Night Movement– Union
