On Sunday, a train operating on the Warri-Itakpe route derailed near Ajaokuta in Kogi State, leaving approximately 178 passengers stranded. Fortunately, no one was harmed, as the Nigerian Railway Corporation promptly evacuated them. Following the incident, train services along that route have been suspended until necessary repairs are completed. As of now, there has been no official explanation for the derailment. However, videos circulating on social media suggest that the cause may be attributed to either deliberate vandalism of the tracks by metal thieves or mechanical failures. Regardless of the reason, this derailment raises significant concerns about the state of the railway system in the country.
The Warri-Itakpe route commenced operations in October 2020, just 15 months ago, and the facilities are expected to be too new to experience such incidents. This railway project is often touted as a hallmark achievement of the administration of Maj Gen Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), who has used it as a symbol of his government’s commitment to infrastructure development over the past eight years. The Warri-Itakpe line was originally initiated in 1987, and previous leaders failed to complete it. This accomplishment has led the current government to take pride in its achievement, despite the fact that the railway is just one aspect of infrastructure, which cannot thrive without the concurrent development of other sectors such as education, health, security, and urban management.
However, given the ongoing issues of insecurity and mechanical failures, there are legitimate concerns about the railway’s sustainability. The railway project was financed through loans that Nigeria must repay, raising the possibility that citizens may be left paying interest on these loans long after the railway has fallen into disrepair. The recent derailment is just the latest in a series of disruptions to the railway system since its inauguration. The most notorious incident occurred in March 2022, when gunmen ambushed an Abuja-Kaduna train, resulting in the deaths of approximately eight people and the abduction of 63 others. Following that attack, train services were immediately suspended, and families of the victims faced a prolonged negotiation process with the abductors.
In a country where law enforcement can take months to apprehend individuals for minor offenses, one would expect a more effective surveillance system to assist families of kidnapping victims. The trauma of abduction is compounded by the distress of negotiating with criminals. After the Abuja-Kaduna incident, it was only a matter of time before other criminals attempted similar acts. The success of the Abuja-Kaduna abductors made it clear that kidnapping train passengers could be lucrative, leading to another attack just two weeks ago in which gunmen abducted 30 individuals from a Nigerian Railway Corporation sub-station in Igueben, Edo State. While some suspects have been arrested, the threat of copycat attacks remains a significant concern for future passengers.
In addition to external threats like insecurity and metal theft, the railway project is also vulnerable to internal challenges such as government corruption and bureaucratic inefficiency. Corrupt officials may award inflated contracts that undermine the project’s viability. For instance, during the fallout from the Abuja-Kaduna abduction, Transportation Minister Rotimi Amaechi revealed that his proposal for N3.7 billion worth of surveillance equipment was rejected by the Federal Executive Council, which deemed it fraudulent. This raises questions about how such equipment would effectively deter bandits, especially in a country plagued by insecurity. The myopic greed of public officials threatens the survival of the railway project, as they view it merely as an opportunity to secure inflated contracts.
Under normal circumstances, the railway project should be a proud legacy of the Buhari administration. However, this legacy is jeopardized by the broader issues of multidimensional poverty, insecurity, and corruption that have characterized his tenure. The deepening poverty under Buhari casts a shadow over the achievements of the railway system. Even if funding is not a problem, the project still faces threats from individuals who may steal railway materials for profit. Additionally, the ongoing insecurity caused by bandits, herdsmen, and professional abductors further jeopardizes the infrastructure that the government claims to have built.
These challenges cannot be resolved simply by increasing security presence at train stations or investing more in surveillance systems. They are rooted in fundamental issues of poverty and an economy that is configured to consume rather than produce. The legacies of Buhari resemble Ouroboros, the mythological snake that consumes its own tail. The unresolved issues from his administration threaten to undermine the few successes he has achieved. A society where many individuals have fallen down the economic ladder cannot be expected to prioritize the preservation of railway infrastructure as a national heritage.
Ultimately, the best legacy a leader can leave is to cultivate a populace capable of building a thriving society. Unfortunately, this has not been realized in the past eight years. The current government has taken much from the people—time, resources, and hope—while offering only superficial gains in return. Many of these achievements may not endure beyond Buhari’s tenure. As he returns to Daura, he may believe he has provided Nigeria with a railway system, but he is unlikely to engage in critical self-reflection regarding its failures. Instead, he may deflect blame onto the “lazy youths,” failing to recognize that those he neglected to empower are now the ones dismantling the fragile systems he put in place.
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