The National Assembly joint committee on Land Transportation has yesterday called on the Chinese government to help Nigeria track down the criminals that are still keeping captive passengers that were abducted in a Kaduna-Abuja bound train on 28th March 2022. The Chairman Senate Committee on Land Transportation, Senator Abdulfatai Buhari, made this appeal on behalf of Nigerians during the committee's oversight visit to the Obafemi Awolowo train station in Ibadan, Oyo state capital yesterday, admitting the leaders were heartbroken after leaving the abducted passengers in captivity for 45days.
Buhari said the incident had created fear in the minds of Nigerians who had just trusted the railway as a means of the public transportation system.
He said, the Chinese government being a partner with Nigeria in this business, it would not be out of place if the Chinese authorities can intervene to rescue the victims at the hand of the terrorists.
Abuja-Kaduna rail line was constructed by the Chinese Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC) one of the Chinese biggest construction companies funded by the Chinese EXIM bank.
The lawmaker said, “The Chinese government makes money from the many rail projects that are being handled by CCECC in Nigeria, so asking them to help us is not out of place.
He appealed that “Nigerians are no longer ready to listen to the number of passengers that have been carried by the trains since they were commissioned. Nigerians are not interested in what has been put in the various stations by the CCECC. What we want to hear now is the effort being put into rescuing those people in captivity.
He explained that eventually if Chinese nationals were amongst the victims, Chinese authorities would have swiftly intervened in the rescue missions to free them.
He recalled that “when an American was kidnapped, the Americans came and took him away from where he was held captive. We know that with the level of technology that the Chinese have, even without leaving Beijing, they can help us track where these people are, or even give us enough intelligence that would aid their rescue.”
Meanwhile, Mr. Niyi Ali, the Director of Operations for NRC who spoke on behalf of the Managing Director, Fidet Okhiria disclosed that the corporation was working with security agencies to secure the release of the victims.
He revealed that the NRC has now deployed modern art technology with increasing policing of the Abuja-Kaduna track when operations are resumed.
The Deputy Managing Director of CCECC and Project Manager, Xia Lijun, also expressed sadness over the attack.
Mr. Lijun while clearing the air said the CCECC as a company was not working on behalf of the Chinese government but prayed for improved security in Nigeria.