- Says he warned that lives may be lost if digital surveillance of rail network is not done
The Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, has disclosed that he warned about possible attacks on the rail line and tracks that could lead to loss of lives and property before the Abuja-Kaduna terror attack that claimed lives on Monday.
He said what was needed was a digital security and crime prevention equipment, a proposal he said was rejected because of funds.
The project could have cost the Federal Government about N3 billion.
Briefing journalists after visiting the scene of the incident on Tuesday, the minister expressed dissatisfaction over the incident, which he claimed, could have been prevented had the digital security surveillance equipment been in place.
“I am devastated and I honestly don’t know what to tell Nigerians any more, the process of procuring the integrated security surveillance and monitoring solution has been tedious, if the process were shortened, we would have saved lives,” Amaechi posted on his social media handle.
He had told reporters earlier, “we knew what the problem would be. We knew we needed to have digital security equipment. We applied for it. If we had that equipment, you will see nobody on that track. And I warned that lives may be lost. Now, lives are lost. Eight persons are dead, 25 persons in the hospital.
“We don’t know how many persons have been kidnapped. And the cost of that equipment is just N3 billion. The cost of what we’ve lost is more than N3 billion.
“We’ve lost tracks, we’ve lost locomotives, we’ve lost coaches, and above that, we’ve lost human beings. And the equipment is just N3 billion.
“To fix all the things on that track now, will cost us more than N3 billion. And now even the things we said give us approval to buy – at the time we asked for it, dollar was N400, now it is N500. When you come with sincerity to government and your colleagues and people are stopping you, it is annoying.”
