Train Attack: Deputy speaker fumes as Amaechi, Irabor, Alkali, others shun hearing

The Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Idris Wase (APC, Plateau), on Wednesday, berated the Minister of Transportaion, Rotimi Amaechi, the Chief of Defence Staff, Lucky Irabor and other officials for failing to appear in person before House ad hoc committee.

The House had set up the committee to investigate the recent bombing of Kaduna-Abuja train and the attack on Kaduna Airport.

It subsequently summoned Messrs Amaechi and Irabor to appear before the committee.

The lower chamber also summoned the Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika; the Chief of Army Staff, Faruk Yahaya; Chief of Air Staff; the Director-General of Federal Aviation Authority of Nigeria (FAAN); the Managing Director of Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC), Fidet Okhiria; the Inspector General of Police, Usman Akali; the National Security Adviser, Mohammed Monguno and others.

However, none of the invited officials appeared in person before the committee but instead sent representatives.

The terrorist attacks

PREMIUM TIMES reported how terrorists rigged the tracks with explosives, causing damage to the Kaduna bound train, while also shooting sporadically at the passengers on board the train.

At least eight people have been confirmed killed in the attack while others are still missing, according to the Kaduna State Government.

The incident occurred on Monday evening a few days after the Kaduna airport’s security was breached.

Deputy Speaker fumes

Mr Wase rebuked the officials, noting that he was constrained not to continue the hearing without the main persons invited.

“I am constrained as deputy speaker not to continue the meeting because the accounting officers are the ones that are supposed to be here while we give them necessary support.

“So, we cannot proceed. I am saying with a heavy heart, no matter the assignment our generals are handling, I believe the parliament requires a listening ear. This is the House of the people.

“I am saddened. I am not happy. I am expressing my disappointment. I do not know if you have a tangible excuse because of all the agencies that we invited, none has the respect to have one chief executive. None. Maybe, we are considered to be jokers but we are not jokers,” he said.

Abel Olaitan, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Aviation, told the committee that Mr Sirika was on an official assignment that was approved by President Muhammadu Buhari before the attacks.

However, Mr Wase asked the permanent secretary not to invoke the name of the president to justify the action of the minister.

“Please do not use the name of the President. Please do not use the name of the President. If he is out of the country, he is out of the country. This institution is not under the presidency. It is an institution of its own,” a visibly angry Mr Wase said.

Similarly, the representative of the Army, O.T. Akinjobi, a major general, in the Nigerian Army, said the CDS and service chiefs were in a meeting on the directive of the president.

Reacting to the excuse by the army, Mr Wase said the excuse was not genuine, noting that the military heads could have appeared before the committee, even if it was for 20 minutes.

He added that the “situation is almost like a blackmail to the government. We are losing our only pride today that we can showcase. That critical infrastructure that is about being destroyed is one of the legacies of the administration.”

The excuse given by the representative of the police, Sanusi Lemo, was also dismissed by the deputy speaker.

Mr Lemo had said the operational officers appeared before the committee due to the importance attached to the parliament.

The deputy speaker said the appearance of the officials “is not a favour done to us in any way.”

He added that “It is not done anywhere. If they are here, they are here to give an account of what is their responsibility and that is the only place they can render an appropriate account.”

Consequently, the committee adjourned the hearing till Thursday.