By Ismail Auwal
Rotimi Amaechi, the Minister of Transportation, has called on Nigerians to contribute to the cost of treating those injured in Monday’s train attack.
At least nine people were killed while many sustained injuries when bandits attacked a train heading for Kaduna from Abuja.
Amaechi, who visited the scene of the attack on Tuesday, said the attack could have been prevented if the procurement of the N3 billion high capacity rail track cameras and sensors had not been stonewalled.
He said the equipment would eliminate all blind spots on the train corridors across the country.
Speaking when he visited the victims who are being treated at the 44 Nigerian Army Reference Hospital in Kaduna on Wednesday, Amaechi said the army treated them without charging a dime.
However, he said some of the patients need drugs that are not manufactured in the country, asking Nigerians to assist in raising the money.
”The CMD and I have been talking, the army has not charged one kobo on any patient, and they have given the maximum medical treatment that they can give to any patients.”
”You saw the patients with burns and then the one that has bullet located in her heart. They are bringing an expert tomorrow for that one to see if there will be surgery or not to take out the bullet.
According to the minister the hospital has only seven (patients) left and the rest have been discharged.
He also commended the Nigerian Army for providing services to the victims.
“But one thing I have said to the Nigerian people is to liaise with the hospital management and see how much money they can contribute for the treatment of the patients.”
According to Amechi, the drugs that will be used to treat the victims are not manufactured in Nigeria.
He went on to say that the army is bringing in experts who are not currently employed by the army, “so they definitely have to pay them.”
We will try as much as possible to see what contributions we can make to the management of the hospital to assist in taking care of the patients.”
