Abuja-Kaduna: Stakeholders, experts advocate transportation security architecture

As of today, virtually all modes of transportation to Kaduna, North West Nigeria, have been impaired following the bombing of the Abuja-Kaduna train track by terrorists with some passengers shot in the process.

This was coming a few days after the terrorists invaded the Kaduna International Airport runway thereby stalling flight operation while a security guard with the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) was killed.

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The incident led to disruption of flight operations with an Azman Airline’s flight that was about to depart being asked to hold on for the gun battle between the soldiers and the bandits/terrorists to subside.

The following day, Azman Airline announced the suspension of its flight to Kaduna to enable it to re-evaluate the security architecture of the airport in the aftermath of the attack.

The airline confirmed this in a notice posted on its Twitter handle.

 Daily Trust learnt that the airline stopped operation on Monday with many passengers stranded at the airport due to limited flight connectivity in and out of Kaduna.

 The airline said the suspension of operation was to re-evaluate security at the airport.

 Daily Trust however learnt that Air Peace which is the other airline flying to Kaduna Airport had also followed suit by suspending flights to Kaduna temporarily. Spokesman of Air Peace, Stanley Olisa, confirmed this to our correspondent.

The NRC has also suspended the Abuja-Kaduna train service

The NRC in a short statement on its website said, “Dear passengers, due to unforeseen circumstances, train operations along the Abuja-Kaduna route have been temporarily suspended. Further communication would be given in due course.”

 Already, road transportation has long been impaired following the worsening insecurity on the Abuja-Kaduna road and the commissioning of the train was a big relief for those plying the road.

Commuters on the Abuja-Kaduna axis virtually dumped the road and found solace in the train service which now runs 16 trips daily with each trip carrying about 1000 passengers which is a reflection of the strategic position of rail transportation in driving mass transportation in Nigeria.

But with the rate of insecurity which has exposed the vulnerability of even rail transportation, considered the safest mode of transportation globally, experts and stakeholders say it is high time the government reviewed the security architecture, especially the transportation security architecture, to sustain the trajectory of intermodal transportation which the current administration has started.

Capt. Mohammed Joji said it is high time the government dealt mercilessly with the terrorists, adding that no matter how daring the terrorists become, they cannot be more powerful than the government. He said it is unfortunate that Kaduna is cut off as a result of the insecurity challenge.

 He said, “In any country of the world, nobody is stronger than the government except the Almighty God. So the government has the power and the resources. Sometimes you have to be merciless.”

 Joji said the railway is one of the safest modes of transportation and the current threat should be minimised through strengthened security architecture.

 He said, “Railway is the safest form of transportation anywhere in the world. So if they kill the railway, then we are finished. So at every four kilometres of this railway, there must be security agents. You must have drones on the attacks. So if the bandits knew that this was happening, they would not do it.

 “Those who made the law have security wherever they go. Even when they are asleep, there are people guiding them. So really they have to wake up.”

 A security expert, AIG Ambrose Aisabor, rtd, said the security architecture in the country has virtually collapsed. He said the attack on the airport days before should have prepared the security agents ahead for a bigger attack. This is where intelligence gathering would have helped.

 “How can you expect a train between Abuja and Kaduna, you will put about three or four policemen inside and each of them may be carrying 30 rounds of ammunition. Then these bandits are always in hundreds. You think those four or three policemen can face these people? It is not possible.

“Look at the other day the bandits overran the runway at Kaduna International Airport, yet the government is expecting foreign investors and other investors to come and invest in the country. How do we invest in an unsecured environment?” Aisabor asked.

An Aviation Security Expert, Group Capt. John Ojikutu, rtd, stressed the need for a comprehensive security programme for the railway as it exists in airports across the country.

He expressed shock that the nation has no contingency plan for the transportation system.

 He said, “What this portends is that we have no contingency plans for our transportation system in the midst of the escalations of threats from our homegrown terrorists. This is the responsibility of the National Security Council and the intelligence community.

 “This is the basic responsibility of those we elected into our government and those elected ones appointed to assist them in the administration of the government. Who will save us from ourselves?”