By Emma Nnadozie, Crime Editor

Security experts have blamed the Federal Government for terrorists’ attack on the Abuja-Kaduna train on the night of Monday, March 28, which left eight passengers dead and 41 others injured.

According to the experts, the government’s insensitivity to the safety of lives of passengers led to the attack

In separate interviews with Vanguard, the experts expressed disappointment with the manner serious security issues were being handled with levity even in the face of grave danger to the citizenry.

‘Manual crime prevention tactics’

The National President of the Association of Licensed Private Security Practitioners of Nigeria, ALPSPN, Dr. Wilson Esangbedo, said the challenge facing the country was that the use of manual security procedure in preventing crime from occurring was still in vogue.

“If you had listened to President Muhammadu Buhari’s speech before this time, there was a memo he had approved for an integrated security system that would help detect criminal issues like planting of Explosive Ordnance Devices, EODs, along a rail track.

“As you know, the Nigerian factor of delaying approvals and implementations largely accounted for what happened concerning the train attack. If the President had approved”, as he said, the question is why the delay in implementation? Why do we wait for ugly incidents to occur before we take action?

“Remember, there was an incident last October and the government promised to provide a helicopter to escort the trains from one point to the other. The railway system is the safest means of transportation and we ought to physically protect its infrastructure.

“Regrettably, our leaders like to pay lip service to issues of security. It is only when people get killed that they wake up,” he said.

On his part, Engr. Lusty-K Mustapha, Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Kontz Engineering limited, a foremost security equipment firm, said the terrorists’ attack on the Abuja-Kaduna train could be likened to a man who builds a magnificent structure in a volatile and careless environment without security in place, believing that all was well.

He recalled an encounter he had some years ago with the Minister of Transport, Rotimi Chibuike Amechi when the rail tracks were being constructed.

He said:  “I was privileged to meet the minister. I told him the railway construction is a fantastic multi-billion naira investment, that the best we could do was to put security devices in place, which will help to alert us, prevent and have a command centre where there can be monitoring of the rail line, of passengers and so on.

“The minister smiled and said those things had been taken care of. 

The scenario that played out now is like when you buy an expensive car and refuse to insure it.  It can also be likened to building a high rise, and after construction of the entire building, the owner realises that there is no security device in place to protect, prevent unwanted intruders or forestall unforeseen circumstances.

“The Monday terrorists’ attack was what we would get when we build a rail line without being mindful of its security. I expect we should have 24 hours security monitoring devices.”

Also Read:

• Train attack: NRC confirms safety of 172 passengers, whereabouts of 21 others still unknown
• Train Attack: We must take responsibility, stop blame game — Kaigama

Former military personnel and currently Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of AugustEye Security, Dr. Roy Okhidievie,  said he was saddened by the attack and loss of lives.

According to him, “One thing we need to know is that the body language of those at the helm of affairs will directly impact the opportunities to mitigate crime by security agencies.  One of the reasons the military and other agencies are having issues. There is always a lack of accountability and executive nonchalance.

“There was a warning from the DSS about the possible attack. There was also a report indicating a possible attack at night on the train but because there was this tendency not to hold anyone accountable, people lose focus and calamity occurred.”

‘Nigeria doesn’t protect infrastructure’

For the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Viseum Integrated Security Company, the Abuja-Kaduna train attack occurred because Nigeria has the habit of not safeguarding its infrastructure.

“Those concerned should have been able to see some pictures of it ahead. If many things were put in place, those bandits and terrorists could have been tracked.

“There is a lot to do on surveillance, day and night. We have approached them severally on this matter so that we will be able to know what happens, even in total darkness. The technology is there. It is just for somebody to take a bold decision and do the needful,” he said.

A security consultant, Mr Emmanuel Bassey, who began his career at the former Nigerian Security Organization, NSO, said:  “There is no synergy among the security agencies. It is only said verbally but implementation is lacking. Intelligence, whether raw or processed, is very paramount in decision making.”

‘Low capacity’

The Chief Security Officer of Airtel, Mr Oluwaseyi Dickson Adetayo, did not think the security personnel attached to the Nigerian Railway Corporation, NRC, had the capacity to prevent the attack on the trains.

According to him, the police there are just posted for policing duties of ensuring that passengers and their luggage are safe.

“At best, they can offer some minimal counter-attack to hijackers but certainly not terrorists, the type who struck penultimate Monday. The police do not have the capacity to monitor rail tracks,’’ he said.

A retired Army Colonel, Dan Anita, currently the Managing Director of Padview Security, had this to say: “Before you talk of security agencies nipping in the bud such kind of attack, bear in mind that it was explosive devices that were used and it was not at the railway station it occurred. It occurred on the track while the train was in motion, in transit. Security agencies are no magicians. They cannot know everything happening everywhere.

“The fact that security agents cannot be everywhere makes it imperative that some measure of surveillance could have been put in place, which would invariably reduce the level of damage. If there was a mini train to do a security sweeper’s job of clearing the rail track of any explosive device buried anywhere ahead of passenger trains, such a calamity would have been prevented.”

Vanguard News Nigeria