Former Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Lucky Irabor (rtd.), has said the 2022 Abuja–Kaduna train abduction is the most challenging experience during his tenure as Nigeria’s top military officer.
Gatekeepers News reports that speaking on Politics Today, a Channels Television programme, on Monday, Irabor said the incident placed the nation’s security architecture under intense pressure and tested his leadership and military expertise to the limit.
Irabor said, “For me, during the time I was CDS, the security situation around the country was most troubling.”
“I think the most challenging was the incident involving the train abduction, which added to the dynamics of the challenges we were facing at the time. All the experiences one had prior to that time were deployed to ensure those who were abducted were rescued.”
Irabor recalled that the Defence Headquarters had to mobilise extensive resources and strategies to secure the release of passengers kidnapped during the attack.
He also reflected on other major security challenges faced under his command, including counter-insurgency operations in the north-east and the protection of oil assets in the Niger Delta.
He noted, “Beyond that, the north-east operation was deep in my mind. Having served a greater part of my career there, I felt a need to return to ensure that operations were conducted effectively without losing our teams.0
The retired general further underscored the importance of protecting oil production facilities, describing them as critical to the nation’s economic stability. Reflecting on life after retirement, Irabor said he now enjoys more personal freedom.
He added, It’s now relieving and freer to do what I want”, explaining that his experiences in service inspired his book titled Scars: Nigeria’s Journey and the Boko Haram Conundrum.
Recall that Abuja–Kaduna train was attacked by terrorists on March 28, 2022, leaving several passengers dead, many injured, and 61 others abducted.
While all abductees were eventually released in batches, some spent up to seven months in captivity.
In January 2024, the Nigerian Police Force confirmed the arrest of Ibrahim Abdullahi, also known as Mande, identified as the alleged mastermind of the 2022 train attack.
