The families of at least 60 passengers kidnapped from the bombed Kaduna-bound train on March 28, 2022 are set to hold protests in Abuja on Thursday (today).
This is just as the Federal Government on Wednesday pleaded with relatives to be patient as efforts continue to rescue the passengers.
Confirming the planned protest, a human rights lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana (SAN), said the protest would put the government on its toes.
“Relatives of at least 60 kidnapped passengers will be coming to Abuja from all over the country to push for the immediate rescue of their loved ones which the government failed to protect,” Falana said.
The activist also said the Federal Government and the Nigerian Railway Corporation were liable for the death, injury, and abduction of passengers who boarded the recently bombed Abuja-Kaduna train.
Falana also faulted the position of the FG on the nature of insurance for the train and its passengers in reaction to an exclusive report by The PUNCH.
The PUNCH had reported exclusively on Wednesday that senior government officials stated that the Abuja-Kaduna train that was bombed on March 28, 2022 in Kaduna State and passengers who boarded the train were all insured but not insured against terror attacks.
Reacting to this, Falana, in an interview with our correspondent, said, “The Federal Government is duty-bound to secure the life of every citizen. The government has failed to carry out the duty of providing security to the passengers.
“Hence they were injured, killed, or abducted by the terrorists. Whether the trains are insured or not, the FG and the NRC are vicariously liable for the abduction of passengers, injury or loss of lives of passengers.”]
He stated that officials whose criminal negligence caused the bomb attack should be prosecuted and advised family members of those affected to sue the Federal Ministry of Transportation and NRC for aggravated compensation as they were vicariously liable for the tragic incident.
However, the FG said efforts were underway to rescue the passengers. It also revealed that the train attack and other killings in the North-West were the handiwork of bandits who have partnered with some elements of the deadly Boko Haram sect.
The Minister of Defence, Bashir Magashi, disclosed this to State House correspondents shortly after Wednesday’s Federal Executive Council meeting presided over by the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.) at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
Responding to questions from journalists, the minister and his counterpart in the Ministry of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, said, “The government is not idle in the face of the security crisis; it cannot risk disclosing details of its actions to the media.
The ministers, therefore, urged Nigerians to collaborate with security agencies to apprehend the terrorists.
Asked if the government has successfully identified the faces and names behind the attack, Magashi said, “Honestly, I think the security chiefs are working hard to unveil those involved, and we will tell you very soon those that are carrying out these attacks.
“Both attacks in Jos and Kaduna, we will explain to the public what is going on and our efforts to ensure that all these activities are stopped.
“We are really on top of the situation, we are planning hard, and we will get it out as soon as possible.”
Giving further details on the issue, Information Minister, Mohammed, said, “What is happening now is that there is a kind of an unholy handshake between bandits and Boko Haram insurgents.
“Preliminary reports of what transpired at the Kaduna train attacks show a kind of collaboration between the bandits and the dislodged Boko Haram terrorists from the northeast.
“I can tell you very confidently that the Federal Government is on top of this matter.”
In the government’s response to the 72-hour ultimatum given to it by the families of the kidnapped passengers, Mohammed said that the government is working to ensure their release. Still, it cannot disclose to the public how it is doing that.
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