Terrorist attack: NRC halts railway service between Lagos and Kano and Ajaokuta
The Lagos-Kano and Ajaokuta train services have been halted by the Nigeria Railway Corporation (NRC) out of concern for terrorist strikes.
One of our correspondents was told by numerous sources in the Ministry of Transportation and the NRC that the train services would not resume until the security along the Lagos-Kano route and the Ajaokuta train station was ensured.
Additionally, it was discovered that the NRC had halted operations at the Ajaokuta station on the Warri-Itakpe route as a result of the gunmen’s attack on several passengers on Monday.
According to information obtained, the train service between Lagos and Kano was suspended due to the high degree of insecurity in the states of Niger and Kaduna, which are the routes taken by the train traveling from Lagos to Kano.
The PUNCH was informed on Tuesday that the train services at the Ajaokuta station and the Lagos-Kano line had been suspended by the NRC Managing Director, Fidet Okhiria.
He said, “We have not ceased (services) along the Warri-Itakpe route; rather, what we said was that we are not going to be stopping at the Ajaokuta station.”
“This is because people were firing at passengers yesterday (Monday), as they were leaving the station in their private cars and buses. So we declared that we wouldn’t stop there for passengers once more.”
“The train is still moving, but for the time being, we won’t be stopping in Ajaokuta due of some issues. We were informed that the local government chairman and the traditional ruler in that area had been ousted.”
In addition to the Abuja-Kaduna line, he claimed that because to security concerns, the corporation has also halted operations on the Lagos-Kano route.
The NRC boss responded, “No, aside from the Lagos to Kano (train service), because the Kaduna route is impacted by bandit activities; and it (the Lagos–Kano route) was discontinued because we had to transit through Minna and Kaduna when going to Kano. Thus, we must stop it for now.
