The Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) announced on Monday that the Abuja-Kaduna train service will resume on May 23, 2022.
WITHIN NIGERIA recalls that bandits attacked the Kaduna-Abuja train, killing eight passengers and kidnapping numerous more.
However, according to Mr. Yakub Mahmoud, its Deputy Director of Public Relations, the service will return on Monday, May 23rd, 2022.
The restart comes two months after terrorists attacked the train.
The service will restart with additional security and without early morning and late-night train operations, according to the statement.
The statement, however, informed the relatives of the kidnapped individuals remaining in captivity that the safe recovery of these passengers is a major priority and that the restoration of railway services should not be interpreted as the government’s abandonment or indifference to their suffering.
It stated that the federal government will never abdicate its role in rescuing these precious persons and vowed not to give into threats from an anonymous organization.
It further said additional security measures are being put in place at both the train stations and the track to ensure the safety of the passengers onboard.
According to it the 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.
“The passengers are enjoined to cooperate with the NRC in order to enjoin 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 said.