Abuja/Kaduna Train Services Resume This Week; FG Working On Security

Expectation is high as all is now set for the resumption of the Abuja-Kaduna train services this week more than eight months after it was stopped by the federal government due to a terrorist attack.

But the train service will not resume today contrary to expectations, the federal government has said.

As a prelude to the resumption of commercial train services between the nation’s capital and Kaduna, the government has announced some security measures to prevent further attacks on passengers.

On March 28, this year, some terrorists attacked a train on its way from Abuja to Kaduna killing some passengers and kidnapping others whom they kept in their custody for months until they were later released.

But the Minister of Transportation, Mua’zu Sambo said some security measures have now been put in place to prevent such occurrences.

Part of the measures includes the requirement for passengers to provide their telephone numbers and national identity card, as passengers  will no longer be allowed to “buy a ticket unless you have a valid phone number and you have a NIN.”

Mua’zu said, ”I want to be very categorical about that. Now, we have introduced a new system before you buy a ticket. Your purchase of a ticket requires you to provide a phone number and a national identification number to profile because that is the beginning of the security checks.

”So, at any point in time when a train moves from one station to another, we know who and who is on board. If you don’t have an NIN you are not going to board our train. It is as simple as that.

”If you are a minor, an adult will pay for you and will register for you and an adult can only register for not more than four minors.”