The Federal Government on Monday, November 07, 2022, said the train services on the Abuja-Kaduna rail line are set to return this month, November.
This was disclosed by the Minister of Transportation, Mu’azu Sambo while giving the scorecard of his ministry in Abuja.
Why Nigerians should not be worried: He said adequate security has been put in place to ensure the safety of passengers. The Minister, however, did not give any specific date for the resumption.
Sambo said the ministry has learned enough lessons from the attack in March which claimed the lives of several passengers leading to the suspension of train service on the Abuja-Kaduna route.
What happened: On 28 March 2022, an Abuja–Kaduna train was attacked in Katari, Kaduna State, Nigeria. In response, the Nigeria Railway Corporation (NRC) briefly halted operations along the route.
The Abuja-Kaduna train attack: At around 7:45 pm, passengers traveling northwards on their way to Nigeria’s northwest were kidnapped, while others were killed and injured by bandits who bombed an Abuja-Kaduna train.
The train left Abuja’s Idu station at 6 pm and was scheduled to arrive at Kaduna’s Rigasa train station by 8 pm. According to eyewitness accounts, the train was bombed twice before the armed bandits opened fire at the passengers.
The Abducted passengers: Sixty-two passengers were abducted in the attack.
The Acting Managing Director of the Bank of Agriculture, Alwan Ali-Hassan was freed on April 6. Eleven passengers were freed on June 11; Seven passengers were released on July 9. Four passengers were freed on July 25. Five passengers were released on August 2. Seven passengers were freed on August 10. Four passengers were released on August 19. The final twenty-three passengers were released on Thursday, October 6.
