Probe Kaduna-Abuja train terrorist attack

This is a call on the Federal Government to, as a matter of urgency, probe the Kaduna-Abuja train terrorists’ attack. Nigerians want to know if truly the train carried 970 passengers but only about 300 were officially booked in the manifest.

How can the NRC account for other passengers whose names were not on the manifest? Who collected the money of the over 600 passengers? With these losses on the train project, how can the China loans be repaid? Nigerians also want to know why the train was scheduled on a night journey against the official directive.

The Nigerian Railway Corporation’s manifest allegedly showed a different figure from the actual number of people on the train. This smacks of corruption. Certainly, this is not the Nigeria of our dream. This is also not the Nigeria our forefathers bestowed to us.  Our heroes past had laboured in vain and would be weeping in their graves. The main essence of government is to protect life and property.

The pathetic security situation in the country is condemnable; the government needs iron hands to deal decisively with bandits. The military is not living up to expectation and it is sharking in its responsibility as far as protection of life and property is concerned.

In more advanced climes, heads should have rolled by now. It’s a shame Nigerians can no longer travel safely by road, train and by air. They are also not safe in their homes. President Muhammadu Buhari is expected to have addressed the nation on this national calamity and declare national mourning for the innocent people killed and kidnapped in the disaster.

It is disgusting that the National Assembly also woefully failed the people by not querying the Minister of Transportation and the Minister of Interior.

I also call on the Lagos state governor, Babajide Sanwo-olu not to impose tolls on the Lekki-Epe Expressway and the Lekki-lkoyi Bridge for now as this would further compound the sufferings of Lagosians.

The governor should explain the contract terms between the Alpha Beta company and the government as well as the Lekki Concession Company (LCC). Lagosians would also want to have access to the year 2022 state budget announced recently.

• Chief Adesunbo Onitiri, Lagos.