While Nigerians are hopeful that the Abuja-Kaduna railway service will commence operations, LEADERSHIP Weekend investigation has revealed otherwise. Recall that the terrorists that attacked the AK-9 Abuja-Kaduna train passengers on March 28 leading to the suspension of rail services, on Friday released more hostages, however, the families of the remaining kidnapped victims have continued to appeal to the federal government to ensure the safe release of the remaining hostages who are still in captives.
On the other hand, troops of Nigerian Armed Forces operating in the north-west, north-central theatres of operations continue to eliminate more terrorists/bandits in land and air operations in the last three weeks, which might ordinarily signal hope to resume the train services, however, LEADERSHIP Weekend findings revealed that the train service might not reopen soon amid track vandalism in Rijana axis of Abuja-Kaduna.
LEADERSHIP Weekend gathered that rail track vandalism appears to be the latest crime in town as rail sleepers, clips, and shoulders of railway tracks are being removed by vandals in the middle of the suspension of the rail services.
Findings revealed that the vandals are merely the foot soldiers of a much bigger syndicate in and outside government offices, including (sadly) the law enforcement agencies and the Nigeria Railway Corporation staff who in turn benefit from the contract of replacing the vandalised parts of the track as some of the standard gauge railway lines were constructed before independence, yet was not vandalise or tampered.
Sadly, the involvement of Chinese nationals in some of these crimes speaks volumes, bearing in mind that the rail restoration programme is being bankrolled with funds borrowed from China, while Chinese engineers are spearheading the construction work.
Most importantly, the priority attached to the transportation sector made President Muhammadu Buhari just some months into his administration completed the 168-kilometer Abuja-Kaduna rail track and put it to use. Also, after more than three decades of delay, the President also, in 2020, inaugurated the 326 KM Itakpe-Ajaokuta-Warri rail line for commercial operation. The president last year commissioned the $1.5 billion 157-kilometer Lagos-Ibadan standard gauge railway project for full commercial activities in Lagos.
In the same way, it embarked on the completion of the outstanding segment of the Lagos-Kano railway, which is Ibadan-Kano. The project, when completed, will link the Kano-Maradi line at Kano and a rail link from the Nigeria southern ports of Lagos to Maradi in the Niger Republic.
Available reports indicate that NRC has lost about N3.024 billion in revenue due to the suspension of the Abuja -Kaduna train. Besides, the railways are funded by foreign loans and the longer the facilities remain suspended, the longer it will take to repay the loans. In a period of galloping inflation and rising cost of living, the economy will be worst hit by it.
However, residents who spoke wondered why anyone would damage a rail track, calling on the government to investigate the situation and ensure those behind it were arrested.
A resident of FCT, Abdullahi Danladi, said if the act is not tackled urgently, the country could, in the future, be spending 30 per cent on maintenance.
He said the rail was built by the current administration, adding that it is so sad that Nigerians will be used to vandalise the rail components.
Danladi said he kept asking himself the same question each time he sees a video of vandalism online, saying rail tracks have been there for over three decades with nobody touching them. He, however, lamented the recent scourge.
He urged the security agents to beef up efforts to tackle the syndicates who engaged in such practices.
Abdullahi lamented that everything in the country is politicised. He added that the syndicates who are behind the vandalism and buying of the components should be apprehended and questioned.
A public affairs analyst, James Uneze while linking the current rise in foreign exchange rates, high cost of goods and services to sabotage critical infrastructure, said unchecked vandalization would further crash the economy and retard infrastructural development in the country.
Consequently, he said there will be no economic growth in the nation, infrastructure will be retarded, and new ones will not be built, if the trend continues.
Uneze lamented that vandalism of railway infrastructure will further worsen the country’s economic woes if not addressed.
An economic expert, Henry Nwosu lamented that amidst investments and efforts to fully revive the country’s rail sector, vandals have been destroying rail lines and stealing rail slippers.
Nwosu recalled that there had been several incidents of vandalism of rail infrastructure, which made the former minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, call for a manslaughter charge against anyone caught vandalising railway facilities.
He stated that the call by the minister was not out of place, stressing that “if the development was not nipped in the bud, it would worsen the sorry state of Nigeria’s economy and hamper infrastructure development.”
He noted despite its very scarce resources, the government has managed to put such very valuable investments in place, adding that some unscrupulous citizens are vandalising them.
Speaking further, he said the development is not good for the economy because some of the biggest challenges facing the nation is infrastructure.
He stressed the need to strengthen surveillance around the railway tracks to ensure that both passengers and the nation’s infrastructure are safe.
However, the managing director, NRC, Fidet Okhiria had on different fora condemned the persistent vandalisation of rail tracks across the country.
Okhiria, while addressing newsmen said the removal of the rail tracks were hitherto restricted to the narrow gauge, but added that the hoodlums have become so daring that they have started attacking the standard gauge, removing the clips with the intention to remove the tracks.
Minister of Transportation, Mu’azu Sambo, had also stated that appropriate technology would be installed before resuming train operations on Abuja-Kaduna route.
Sambo during a familiarisation visit to the Idu and Kubwa train stations in Abuja said that there was a need to guarantee necessary measures were taken to avoid a repeat of the March 28 train attack.
He said: “First and foremost, it’s very important to get those Nigerians that were kidnapped reunited with their families. Otherwise, it’ll be seen as if the government isn’t sensitive.
“Whereas the government isn’t only sensitive, but the government is doing everything it can to make sure that those who have been affected by this unfortunate incident are reunited with their families.
“Secondly, you must put in place adequate security and infrastructure to protect and prevent all forms of threats that are possible and leave what you cannot do to God.”
“So we are trying to deploy the best technology available anywhere in the world. That has served very well for us in other jurisdictions, which we believe can also serve us very well here in Nigeria,” Sambo added.
