The Managing Director of the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC), Fidet Okhiria, recently disclosed that following the suspension of activities on the Abuja-Kaduna rail lines between March and August 2022, the corporation has projectively lost N531 million. The suspension of rail services which came as a result of the March 28th terrorist attack on the rail track has halted activities since then.
What the MD said
Speaking at a press briefing at the NRC headquarters in Ebute Metta, Lagos State, Fidet Okhiria disclosed that the last terrorist attack halted its plans to increase daily trips from 10 times per day to 12.
The MD added that the corporation was facing operational difficulties, including an increase in the cost of diesel and the cost of maintaining the Abuja-Kaduna rail facility (including light bills, security levies, etc.).
In case you missed it
- On the evening of March 28th, bandits attacked a passenger train carrying 362 people along the Abuja-Kaduna rail track in Northern Nigeria.
- Reports say that in this attack, bandits abducted 61 people while killing 8 passengers and injuring others. This attack also damaged the train and rail tracks of the Abuja-Kaduna rail line.
- Several weeks later, the terrorists released 11 of the 61 passengers in their custody.
- Since that time, the federal government of Nigeria has improved the rail lines infrastructure, passed extra measures to avoid the repetition of such sad events and beefed up security at the several train stations all over the country.
What you should know
Last month, the federal government noted that it might not be resuming train services on the rail line in solidarity to the families of those still in the captive of the terrorists. FG is also working to acquire the right type of surveillance kit to efficiently monitor the tracks.