The Nigeria Railway Corporation (NRC) has suspended train service operations on the Lagos-Kano and Ajaokuta routes due to fear of terrorist attacks.
Train services were reported to have been suspended at Ajaokuta station along the Warri-Itakpe route by the NRC after the attack on some passengers by gunmen on Monday.
Also, there were reports of suspension of train services on the Lagos-Kano route due to high level of insecurity in Niger and Kaduna states, which are the routes of the train heading to Kano from Lagos.
According to Punch, various sources from the Federal Ministry of Transport and the NRC had revealed that train services would not resume until the security along the Lagos-Kano route and the Ajaokuta train station was guaranteed.
What the Managing Director of NRC is saying
The NRC Managing Director, Fidet Okhiria, who confirmed the suspension of the train services at the Ajaokuta station and the Lagos-Kano route, stated that the corporation has not stopped train services on Warri-Itakpe route but rather said they will not be stopping at the Ajaokuta station.
Okhiria said, “We have not stopped (services), rather what we said was that we are not going to be stopping at the Ajaokuta station.
“This is because yesterday (Monday), while passengers were leaving the station with their private cars and buses, they had people shooting at them. So we said we will not stop there again for passengers.
“The train is still running, but for now we will not be stopping at Ajaokuta because they have some concerns there. We heard that they removed their traditional ruler in that location and the local government chairman there.”
The NRC boss pointed out that apart from the Abuja-Kaduna route, the corporation had also suspended services on the Lagos-Kano route because of security concerns.
On if there was any other train service that was not operating aside from the Abuja-Kaduna service, the Okhiria said, “No, apart from the Lagos to Kano (train service) because the Kaduna route is affected by the activities of bandits; and it (Lagos-Kano route) was stopped because we have to pass through Minna and Kaduna when heading to Kano. So we have to stop it for now.”
What you should know
- Recall that on March 29, the NRC suspended train service operations on the Abuja-Kaduna route after an attack on a train on that route by some terrorists with some 398 passengers on board. The attack left some 8 passengers dead with scores of others seriously injured and about 200 others abducted by these terrorists.
- The Federal Government had on August 13, 2021, resumed the operations of the Lagos-Kano train service.
- The NRC had also earlier in April as part of additional security measure said that intending train service passengers would be required to get and present their National Identification Number (NIN) with effect from May.
- This is expected to be a major part of the screening process and help enhance the profiling of passengers as well as enhance the safety and security of rail users.
- Meanwhile, the Federal Government had yesterday hinted that it will fully resume operations for the Abuja-Kaduna train route when it has installed the appropriate surveillance technology for the trains as part of measures to prevent further attacks.
