Nigerian Railway Corporation, on Monday, announced the resumption of the Abuja-Kaduna train services.
NRC Deputy Director, Public Relations, Mr. Yakub Mahmoud, said in a statement that the service will resume on Monday, May 23, 2022.
The train service was suspended about two months ago following an attack on it by terrorists, who bombed its coaches, killed some passengers and abducted several others.
NRC assured that the train service will return with greater security measures but without the early morning and night train operations.
According to the statement, “Federal Government through the Federal Ministry of Transportation (FMoT) has directed the resumption of the Abuja-Kaduna Train Services (AKTS).”
It added that the government also assured “the relatives of the abducted citizens still in captivity that the safe rescue of these passengers is a top priority and not to misconstrue the resumption of train services, as abandonment or nonchalant attitude of the government towards their plight. The federal government will never abdicate its responsibility in rescuing these valuable citizens, however, the government assures of its resolve not to succumb to threats by any faceless group.”
It added that “additional security measures are being put in place at both the train stations and the track to ensure the safety of the passengers onboard.
“These measures are not only for the Abuja-Kaduna Train Service (AKTS) but also for all the passenger train services, especially on the standard gauge railway lines.
“Consequently, the passengers are hereby enjoined to cooperate with the NRC in order to enjoy improved service delivery, safety and comfort by patiently complying with additional measures that will surely be introduced for the safety of our passengers, such as requesting for passengers National Identification Numbers (NIN) as part of our internal security check in addition, presentation of the following must be strictly complied with before boarding the train.
It further stated that as part of the additional security measures, “Valid Photo Identification Card (ID)Reachable telephone number of Next of Kin (NOK) or close relative.Online and offline purchase of tickets must contain the passengers individual profile or identification data.”