By FOLASADE AKPAN

The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) has expressed sadness over the death of Dr. Chinelo Nwando Megafu, at the Abuja-Kaduna train attack on Monday.

Megafu allegedly died from injuries sustained from gunshots during the terror attack on a passenger train.

The association made their feelings known in a statement issued by Dr. Aniekeme Uwah, National Publicity Secretary of the association in a statement in Abuja on Tuesday.

According to it, President of the association, Prof Innocent Ujah, described Megafu’s death as “tragic, horrific and preventable”.

“As an association, we vehemently decry the worsening insecurity in the country which has made all of us and Nigerians as a whole vulnerable to violent attacks by hoodlums, bandits, kidnappers and terrorists who are currently having a field day causing us deep sorrows and severe pains.

“The untimely death of the young, promising Nwando who served at the Kaduna State Dental Centre and worked with St Gerrard’s Hospital, Kakuri, while striving to earn an honest living is one other death too many.

“The association notes that needless blood-letting and senseless loss of lives is fast becoming a recurrent decimal in our country, thus worsening the alarming effects of brain drain, which in many instances have been attributable to the worsening security situation in the country.

“The association hereby calls on security agencies to urgently re-organise the security architecture in the country with focus on intelligence gathering to avoid these carnages across the country.”

He also recommended that the Federal Government should consider the establishment of state police to further complement the efforts of the Nigerian Police Force (NPF).

According to Ujah, the recruitment of more security personnel and the provision of modern security gadgets and ammunition cannot be overemphasised.

He also prayed that God would grant the families of Megafu and all other victims of the very unfortunate incidence the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss.

He prayed for the speedy recovery of all those who sustained various forms of injuries from gunshots in the attack.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Abuja-Kaduna train was attacked by suspected bandits on Monday night, with reports of gunshots and the train derailing due to the attack.

NAN gathered that the train which was conveying about 970 passengers from Abuja to Kaduna at about 7.45 p.m. was attacked between Katari and Rijana train stations. (NAN)

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