Nigerian governors have described the Abuja-Kaduna train attack, which claimed many lives, injured many and several others kidnapped, as mind-boggling. Chairman of the Nigerian Governors Forum (NGF), the umbrella body of the state governors, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, who led a two-man delegation of the forum to Kaduna State to commiserate with the government and people of the state, attributed the attack to the 2023 general elections.

Fayemi, who is also governor of Ekiti State, expressed worry at the state of security in the North West. He wondered whether the attack was the handwork of some enemies of the state government or its governor who, he said, is transforming the state. The governor called for proactive action against the bandits, adding, “we as governors must join hands with the president to deal ruthlessly with the bandits …as you have always advocated.”

According to Fayemi, the primary purpose of the government is to ensure the safety of lives and property of the citizens, regretting that “the impression in the minds of most Nigerians presently is that nothing is being done by the security agencies in the country to bring an end to this.” He announced a donation of N50 million on behalf of the governors to the victims of the attack. Kaduna State governor Mallam Nasir el-Rufai, disclosed that 61 Kaduna State indigenes involved in the attack were still recuperating. Among the victims from the state, according to the governor, are a top government official and his eight-month pregnant wife. (Saturday Tribune)