Train services on the Abuja-Kaduna rail line will resume this month, the federal government has said.
The minister of transportation, Mu’azu Sambo, made this known on Monday at a press briefing organized by the ministry of information and culture in Abuja.
Recall that the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) had suspended the Abuja-Kaduna train operations indefinitely after a train that took off from the Idu Train Station in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) on 28 March 2022 was bombed after explosives planted on the rail track by terrorists went off between the Dutse and Kakau areas of Kaduna State.
About 970 passengers were on board the train, out of which the terrorists killed some and abducted over 60 others. However, the terrorists released the hostages by batches with the last release being on 5 October 2022.
Sambo, while describing the attack as sad, said the federal government has learned its lessons and has put in place security measures to ensure the safety of passengers travelling the route.
The minister said the government has put in place surveillance measures that will allow security agencies and the president to monitor activities going on in the train corridor.
“The Abuja-Kaduna mishap was indeed a sad one, and we shall not witness anything like that again. Not only because we have committed that to prayer, but also because we have deliberately taken steps,” he said.
“Lessons have been learned and these lessons will be put into place: safety, security, surveillance, and constant and round-the-clock monitoring. The minister should be able to sit in his office and look at the rail corridor and see what is happening there.
“The president should be able to do that. The director-general of the state security service (SSS) should be able to do that and so on and all other security agencies. These are the measures we have put in place. Nobody again will shave our heads behind our backs.”
Sambo said the Abuja-Kaduna train service will resume services this month but did not give any specific date for the resumption.
“This month of November, we shall resume that service,” the minister said.
“Remember, I told you that we will not resume this service until every Nigerian held in captivity was reunited with their families. God has made that possible for security agencies in this country, under the able leadership and support of Mr President.”
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