The Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) has called on the security agencies to restrategise and get on top of the situation rather than wait to react over attacks on trains in the country.
In a message of sympathy over the terrorist attack on the Abuja-Kaduna train that occurred on Monday night, the President and Chairman of the Governing Council of the NIPR, Malam Mukhtar Zubairu Sirajo, said on Tuesday that the attack was not only unfortunate and unacceptable, but also a sad reminder of the descent into the abyss that security situation, especially in the northern part of the country, has fallen.
He said: “Nobody or group has the right to continously subject people to this kind of reign of terror, dehumanising them and seemingly getting away with it.”
He said while the institute appreciates the gallant role being played by the Nigerian armed forces and other security and law enforcement agencies to square up to the bandits perpetrating these heinous acts, it is clear that a lot more needs to be done to inspire the confidence of the people.
Sirajo pointed out that the earlier attack on the same route, which occurred in October last year, ought to have served as a wake-up call for the system to be more proactive to forestall what was a not so unexpected occurrence, given the seeming over-reliance of commutters on the train service as a safer alternative to plying the Abuja-Kaduna road.
He added: “There’s the very urgent need for our security agencies to restrategise and get on top of the situation rather than wait to react.
“Government on its part must spare no effort in continuing to provide the armed forces and security agencies with all logistical requirements to enable them up the ante in this must-win war. The intelligence gathering processes must also be given a short in the arm to enable the agencies get ahead of these criminals in all ways imaginable.”
The NIPR expressed its heartfelt condolences to families of the deceased, Federal and Kaduna State governments, prayers for the prompt rescue of those abducted as well as speedy recovery for the injured.
