Security

Security Agents on Trail of Edo Train Attack Victims

By Web News 623

Soldiers, Police Personnel and Vigilantes are currently tracking the abductors of no fewer than 31 train passengers who were whisked away from the Tom Ikimi Train Station,  Igueben, Edo State, on Saturday.

Among the victims are the Manager of the station, Godwin Okpe and the head of security of the station, simply identified as Ikhayere and 29 passengers.

The incident is coming 10 months after bandits attacked the Abuja-Kaduna train service, killing 14 passengers and abducting 65 others. They were released after spending months in captivity and paying ransom.

The Managing Director and Chief Executive of Nigeria Railway Corporation, Fidel Okhiria confirmed to newsmen on Sunday that security agencies were on the trail of the abductors believed to be armed herdsmen.

He said, “The Police, vigilantes and Army are all after the people in the bush; that’s all I can say. There are certain things that we need to clear before we issue a statement.”

The Force Public Relations Officer, Muyiwa Adejobi, also affirmed that efforts were ongoing to rescue the abductees.

“We will give necessary support to Edo State Police Command and Railway Police Command on the rescue of the abducted victims; efforts are being intensified to rescue them and arrest the culprits,’’ he assured.

When asked about the nature of support being given to the state command, Adejobi simply stated, ‘’Support is support.  It’s a security matter’’ and declined further comment.

It was however, gathered that the Inspector-General of Police, Usman Baba, had dispatched police special squads, including the Intelligence Response Team and Anti-Terrorism Squad to Edo State to rescue the victims.

The squads, it was gathered, would complement the efforts of the police in the state.

A senior officer stated, ‘’The IG has deployed the IRT and the anti-terrorism squad to Edo from Force headquarters. But the security agencies should have taken pre-emptive measures by deploying armed agents around the stations.

“There are communities around the area who can also give information to the security agencies. Though the area is forested, it is not that thick.

‘’They (security agencies) should liaise with the community and vigilantes for information on the kidnappers. There was a time I complained about that station when I was going to Warri. It is a bit lonely and isolated; it is not by the roadside. I don’t know why they didn’t take note of that fact. I saw a few policemen but they were not enough.

‘’They should have posted at least 10 policemen to guard that station. I know they have closed the terminal at Ayangba road; they are using the one at Itakpe. They should have taken note of the incident that led to the shutdown of the terminal at Ajaokuta.’’

Report has it that, two children aged between two and five, whose parents were believed to have been abducted, were in the custody of the Police Headquarters in Agbor, Delta State.

It was learnt that most of the victims, were from the South-South and  South-East.

Efforts to confirm from the State Police Spokesman, Chidi Nwabuzor, if the children were in the custody of police did not succeed as calls to his mobile phone did not go through neither did he respond to an SMS sent to him.

The Itakpe-Warri train is the only train service for passengers going to the South-East and South-South.

Passengers going to Benin, Warri, Agbor, Asaba, Port Harcourt, Yenagoa and Aba are known to patronise the train service.

Punch / Titilayo Kupoliyi

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Security

FG Begins Talks with Terrorists who Bombed Abuja-Kaduna Train

By Web News 467

The Federal Government has begun talks with terrorists who killed nine passengers and abducted about 70 others during an attack on Abuja-Kaduna train.

Relatives of the kidnapped victims disclosed this on Friday.

They however asked the government to hasten negotiation with the terrorists and shelve the idea of resuming the train services while their loved ones remain in captivity’

The families, who addressed a press conference in Kaduna on Friday, lambasted the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi for declaring his presidential ambition few days after the train attack.

They described the Amaechi’s declaration as most uncharitable, saying he ought to have resigned rather than celebrating as the train attack happened under his nose.

Leader of the kidnapped victims’ relatives, Dr. Abdulfatai Jimoh, who addressed journalists on behalf of others, stated after the expiration of the 72-hour-ultimatum handed down to the Federal Government “we are happy that the government has started discussing with the abductors of our relatives.”

However, he appealed to the government to speed up negotiation for release of their loved ones from the bandits unhurt.

Jimoh, who said it has not been easy for the families since the attack, also warned the NRC against the proposed resumption of train services without first rescuing the kidnapped victims.

He said: “It is true that we gave the Federal Government 72 hour ultimatum which expired yesterday (Thursday) midnight.

 “We are grateful to God that before the expiration of the 72 hours, we heard from the Federal Government after the Federal Executive Council meeting on Wednesday through the Minister of Information that the government is already on top of the situation with what has happened”.

“We acknowledged it and we appreciate it. But what we want to add is that the government should speed up the process of discussion with them (bandits) so that they can come out to release our people soonest. This is our appeal now.”

He added: “The NRC should not be talking about reopening their services now when our people are in captive because what is the assurance that if they start services now that people that will be board the train are safe.

“What measure(s) have they put in place to guaranteed the security of those that are going to patronise their services. We don’t want the reoccurrence of this.”

“The first thing should be to get the captives out and then they can put adequate measures in place and resume service so that this does not happen again in future.”

When asked if the NRC should go ahead to resume train service, the Chairman said: “We want to believe that they won’t try it and if they do, we won’t take it lightly with them because human lives is involved. We believe they won’t. We believe they won’t because they know what’s at stake.”

The Nation

Transportation

Transporters Assures Ibadan Residents of Stability In Transport Fares

By Web News 805

As the Christmas holiday declared by the Federal government ends today, the transport situation in some interstate motor parks witnessed a low turnout of passengers.

This is even as the commuters said transport fare remains unchanged.

Our correspondent who monitored the situation however reports that the passenger’s large turnout was witnessed at the Obafemi Awolowo standard gauge railway station, at Moniya, Ibadan.

During a visit to Iwo road interstate motor parks, passengers unlike what obtained a few days to the Christmas celebration witnessed mean turn out of passengers while the transport fare from the unit to Lagos ranged between N1,500 and N3,000 depending on the distance of passengers destinations and choice of vehicle.

The situation was not different at Ojoo, a challenge where interstate commercial transporters assured members of the public of stability in transport fare.

Radio Nigeria however observed that Ibadan to Lagos and Abeokuta ranged between N1,500 and N4,500 depending on their choice of vehicle while Ibadan to Ilorin cost N2,000.

In an interview, a park manager at Iwo road, Mr Isaac Bamidele and his counterpart at challenge motor park lamented the low passenger’s turnout attributing it to the free train ride declared by the Federal government.

Radio Nigeria took time to visit Obafemi Awolowo standard gauge railway station located at Moniya where passengers in their numbers protested the non-availability of tickets due for 2 p.m train departing Ibadan to Lagos.

Two passengers who spoke to Radio Nigeria said the ticket should have been sufficiently made available as the Federal government has declared it free.

As at the time of filing this report, an effort to reach the public relations officer of Ibadan NRC was unsuccessful.

 Rotimi Famakin

Lifestyle

Civil Servants Resume In Oyo State After Holidays

By Web News 1340

Work resumed today after the Christmas and Boxing Day holidays amid the second wave of COVID-19 infection in the country.

Radio Nigeria correspondent who visited some offices in Ibadan to see the level of compliance to federal government directives on measures to reduce the spread of COVID-19 reports that, only the senior officers were at work.

A civil servant with the Nigeria Railway Corporation, NRC, Mrs Olukemi Oyewo said the work load was much on them as the number of workers on grade level 12 and below were more than the senior workers.

Acting Deputy Zonal Manager, Corporate Communication, Ibadan, Mr Emmanuel Osuji and Transport Unit Head, Mr Samuel Oduwaye at the Nigeria Postal Service, NPS, in Dugbe said they enjoyed the Christmas break with their families, and have reported for duty as directed by the federal government.

The rest who responded described the outgoing year as one that was characterized by challenges for the nation, expressing hope that, government would be able to address the concerns of citizen better in the New Year.

It would be recalled that, federal government had directed that, workers form grade level 12 and below should work from home for five weeks to curb the spread of COVID-19, while those from grade level 13 upward should carry on with their duties.

Funmilola Obagbayegun