The Federal Government has asserted that passengers on the route of the Abuja-Kaduna railway must register their phone numbers and National Identification (NIN) at the point of ticket purchase.
Recall that the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) had suspended The NRC had suspended train service along the route after Boko Haram terrorists attacked a moving passenger train in Kaduna on March 28, 2022.
The insurgents had blown up the rail track and bombed the moving train, killing some and abducting more than 60 passengers. The unprecedented attack had attracted international and national outrage.
However, the government through the NRC said that the identity verification devices will be deployed at each train station on the route for its officials to verify the validity of the identities of passengers.
The NRC also warned that it is dangerous for any Nigerian to use his or her NIN to purchase tickets for unknown persons as this may lead to criminal prosecution.
The Minister of Transportation, Mu’azu Sambo on November 7, 2022 announced that train services on the Abuja-Kaduna rail line will resume this November, saying adequate security had been put in place to ensure the safety of passengers.
According to him, the government had learnt enough lessons from the Abuja-Kaduna railway attack in March which led to the suspension of the train services but didn’t give a specific date.
