The federal government has announced the resumption of the Abuja-Kaduna train service, saying the operation to begin on May 23.
The announcement was made known in a statement by the spokesperson for the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC), Yakubu Mahmood, on Monday.
This is coming weeks after unknown gunmen attacked a train and kidnapped some of its passengers.
According to the announcement, the NRC spokesperson said the decision to resume services does not mean efforts to secure the safe release of those a dude will be put on hold, adding that additional security measures are being put in place to strengthen security at the train stations and along the track.
In addition, Mahmood said customers must present a Valid Photo Identification Card (ID) and a reachable telephone number of a Next of Kin (NOK) or close relative before boarding a train.
He added that online and offline purchases of tickets must contain the passenger’s profile or identification data, the NRC added.
The statement reads “The Government wishes to assure 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, like 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.
“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 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.”
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