Abuja-Kaduna Train Archives - Naija Premium Gist

Abuja-Kaduna train to resume operations on January 31

January 30, 2023 No Comments

The Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) says that the Abuja-Kaduna Standard Gauge train service would resume operations on January 31.

The Corporation’s Director of Operations, Niyi Alli, made the disclosure on behalf of the NRC board and management on Monday in Lagos.

“The Board and Management of NRC are pleased to announce the recommencement of the Abuja/ Kaduna Train Service which was suspended on Friday 27th Jan. 2023 due to the derailment at Kubwa Station.

“Subsequently, the service will resume on Tuesday, Jan. 31, with the following daily schedule; KA2 departs Rigasa at 7:00 a.m., AK1 departs Idu at 10.00 a.m., KA4 departs Rigasa at 13.00 p.m., and AK3 departs Idu at 16.00 p.m.

“However on Wednesdays only KA2 will depart Rigasa (Kaduna) at 7:00a.m., and AK 3 will depart Idu (Abuja) at 16.00p.m.

“The corporation once again regrets any inconvenience our esteemed passengers may have experienced as a result of the temporary suspension of service,” Mr Alli said.

Recall that the derailment occurred about 3:15 p.m. at Kubwa station on the fateful day as the train arrived its destination in Abuja.

He confirmed that nobody died and there were no casualties, stressing that all the passengers were able to safely disembark.

Lifestyle

Tight security as Abuja-Kaduna train station resumes operations

December 5, 2022 No Comments

After eight months of suspension as a result of terrorists’ attack on the rail lines, Abuja-Kaduna train station finally begins operations today (Monday).

The correspondent in Abuja who was present at the train station as early as 7am to catch up with the resumption activities observed that there were armed police officers at the train station.

NPG had reported that terrorists attacked the Abuja-Kaduna train on March 28, 2022, kidnapping 168 passengers and killing eight others.

The release of the victims had been in batches since then, with the last 23 freed in October.

While observing activities at the Idu rail station, passengers accompanied by their loved ones were seen carrying luggage moving towards the ticket hall to obtain boarding tickets for the first train scheduled to take off to Rigasa in Kaduna by 9:45 am.

Lifestyle

Abuja-Kaduna train service will resume on December 5 – FG

December 2, 2022 No Comments

The Abuja-Kaduna rail corridor would resume duty from December 5, as announced by the Federal Government.

Recall that the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) had suspended train service along the route after terrorists attacked a passenger train in Kaduna on March 28.

NRC Managing Director, Fidet Okhiria, who noted that they are ready to resume services, advised passengers wishing to utilize the service to update their mobile app from December 3 for booking.

The services will commence with two train rides from Abuja-Kaduna and vice versa. Okhiria also assured passengers of their safety.

He said;

“AK 1 will depart Idu station at 9:45hrs and arrive Rigasa Station at 11:53hrs.

“KA 2 will departs Rigasa at 8:00hrs and arrive Idu station at 10:17hrs.

“AK 3 will depart Idu Station at 15:30hrs and arrive Rigasa Station at 17:38hrs.”

And KA 4 will depart Rigasa at 14:00hrs and arrive Idu Station at 16:07hrs.”

World News

No definite date for Abuja-Kaduna train service resumption – NRC

November 14, 2022 No Comments

Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) has debunked claims of resuming the Abuja-Kaduna train service on November 24.

Managing Director of NRC, Fidet Okhiria who described the news was false, said no definite date has been fixed for the resumption.

Okhiria however added that the Federal Government is making every necessary effort to ensure it resumes before end of November.

He said; ”I wish to inform the general public that the news is false because a definite date has not yet been fixed.”

It is true that the Minister announced that we will resume services on that route this November and efforts are being made by all necessary quarters to ensure we resume before the end of November.”

I wish to reiterate the commitment of the Federal Government and the corporation to securing the lives and properties of our highly esteemed passengers and Nigerians.”

Lifestyle

FG announces resumption of Abuja-Kaduna train sevices

November 7, 2022 No Comments

The Federal Government said the train services on the Abuja-Kaduna rail line are set to return this month, November.

This was disclosed today, Nov. 7, by the Minister of Transportation, Mu’azu Sambo while giving the scorecard of his ministry in Abuja. 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 learnt 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.

Lifestyle

Jubilation as abducted Abuja-Kaduna train passenger returns home after six months in captivity

October 9, 2022 No Comments

Usmanu Gujus, one of the passengers who was abducted from Kaduna-bound train, has returned home amid jubilation from his family, colleagues, and friends.

The military last week, secured the release of the 23 remaining passengers held hostage by Boko Haram terrorists for six months.

Gujus, an official of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), received a rousing welcome when he returned to Birnin Kebbi in Kebbi State.

NURTW officials welcomed him at Lambar Gwandu area of the state capital from where he was driven in a convoy to Kofar Kola area of Birin Kebbi.

Gujus, who was in a car with the roof open, waved at hundreds of well wishers who lined both sides of the road.

Lifestyle

Abuja-Kaduna train services will commence operations ‘soon’

October 8, 2022 No Comments

The Federal Ministry of Transportation, on Friday, confirmed that the Abuja-Kaduna train services will commence operations ‘soon’.

The Minister of Transportation, Mu’azu Sambo, disclosed this while briefing journalists in Abuja.

This is coming barely 48 hours after the 23 remaining victims were released by the terrorists.

The terrorists had attacked Abuja-Kaduna train passengers on March 28, 2022, kidnapping 168 passengers and killing eight passengers.

The release of the victims has been in batches since then, with the last 23 being the last to be released.

Reacting to previous questions as to when the train services would resume operations, the minister said it would have been so insensitive to resume operations knowing full well that both the victims and their relatives were going through trauma.

Sambo said in order to resume train services, certain security measures had to be put in place to forestall recurrence, noting that these measures included long- and short-term plans.

The minister insisted that no ransom was paid to secure the release of the victims, noting that the government would not support the payment of ransoms.

However, there is a committee made up of some retired generals and public officers of high-ranking status who supported the security agencies throughout the process of securing the release of the victims, he said.

“Categorically, this government does not support ransom payment. No kobo was paid to secure the release of the 23 remaining victims and other ones as well.”

Speaking further, Sambo noted that victims were supposed to be in Abuja today, precisely at the Ministry of Transportation, but they were going to hospitals ensure that they were in good health condition.

Also speaking, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Magdalene Ajani, said all released victims had access to health care services, including post trauma care, to ensure adequate rehabilitation.

Lifestyle, Politics

Abuja-Kaduna train abduction shows Buhari’s failure – CSOs

August 13, 2022 No Comments

Three civil society organisations have asked the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), to give an account of the missing and the dead in the Abuja-Kaduna train attack.The Community of Practice against Mass Atrocities and the Joint Action Civil Society Committee under the aegis of Nigeria Mourns said the abduction of the passengers of the ill-fated train was an indication of Buhari’s “continued failure to protect the lives and property of Nigerians”.

The groups condemned in strong terms the spate of insecurity across the country and called on the Federal Government to take “actionable steps to mitigate further attacks by terrorist groups”.

In a statement posted on the global petition website, change.org, which had gathered over 7,000 signatures as of the time of filing this report, the groups noted that the Buhari regime had failed in its primary responsibility to its citizens.

“Since the Kaduna train attack, the government has failed to account for the number of persons rescued, the missing and the dead, failing in its primary purpose as provided for in Section 14(2)(b) of the Nigerian Constitution which states that “the security and welfare of the people shall be the primary purpose of government”, and Section 17(2) (c): “governmental actions shall be humane”.

“We point out that the level of humaneness envisioned by our constitution is lacking in the actions of the government in each of these incidents, and that these actions rather suggest that the value for human life in Nigeria is now at its lowest and that the government is failing in its constitutional duties,” part of the statement read.

In the same vein, Global Rights, which also petitioned Buhari on change.org asked the FG to secure the release of the remaining abductees.

“None of us are free till all victims of abductions across the country are free. Our security is a constitutionally prescribed duty of the government,” part of the statement read.

Lifestyle

Abuja-Kaduna train: Bandits threaten to slaughter victims after 24 hours

July 6, 2022 No Comments

Ansaru terrorists, a bandit group, which claimed responsibility for the abduction of Kaduna-Abuja train passengers early March, has again threatened to slaughter the remaining 51 victims.

DAILY POST reports that a few days ago, Tukur Mamu, a negotiator between the bandits and the Federal Government raised an alarm over the health condition of the victims, as they are being bitten by snakes and reptiles.

He later confirmed that one of the victims was shot, as a warning to hasten the response to the agreement between the Federal Government and the bandits.

However, in an audio in circulation, which is believed to be a voice of one of the group members, they threatened to slaughter the victims because the government failed to seek for their release.

A Kaduna based publisher, Tukur Mamu, a negotiator, confirmed to DAILY POST on Wednesday, that the audio was real and that the group had fixed Wednesday (today) to carry out the threat.

According to him, they became provoked on Monday after giving us another opportunity.

“I was crying and pleading with them that since there is a delay from the government, they should discuss with the family members directly to negotiate the victims’ release.

“Based on the plea, they agreed to negotiate directly with the victims’ families.

“But they said they are giving us till Wednesday, that if there was nothing concrete from those that are interested in the negotiation, they will start slaughtering some of the victims,” he said.