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How Kidnaps Have Boosted Commercial Train Service At Abuja-Kaduna Terminal

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Boarders Grapple For Most- Expensive First-Class Ticket At Abuja Kaduna Train Service (Video)

Following the rampant cases of kidnaps along the Abuja-Kaduna expressway, the Abuja-Kaduna train service has received a boost in its operations, The Cable reports.

This is as Acting Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mohammed Adamu, on Tuesday, last week, disclosed that 1,071 persons have been killed in crime and crime-related incidents across the country, while 685 persons have been kidnapped between January and April this year.

The turn to train for transport is now so intense that securing the first-class ticket has become so difficult.

President Muhammadu Buhari inaugurated the train line in July 2016 but its patronage was low until 2018 when activities of kidnappers increased on the expressway.

Passengers could now be seen standing during the trip which is a little over two hours.

Many passengers have been abducted with millions of naira paid as ransom.

Naija News reported how Mohammad Abubakar, chairman, board of the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), and his daughter, and 20 others were kidnapped before regaining their freedom.

Despite measures put in place by the security agencies, activities of the kidnappers have gone unabated.

When TheCable visited the Idu train station in Abuja on Friday, passengers had a hard time getting tickets.

A passenger, who simply identified himself as Joshua, said he had been at the train station since 8am trying to get ticket for a train scheduled to move at 2pm.

“I have been here since 8:00 am and I haven’t gotten tickets for the 2:00pm train. We have been given numbers and they said they will start selling tickets by 11:00am,” he said angrily.

“Why would they not make the purchase of these tickets online, it will be easier. I think since the Chinese people still have a stake they want it this way.

“The kidnappings on the road have worsened the situation. I was in Kaduna last week and I had to stand from Rigasa to Abuja. The situation is just sad.”

When the ticket sales finally began, Joshua who was number 50 in the queue was the person to buy the last first-class ticket

“They said they have finished selling the first class tickets. You can imagine they started selling tickets at 10:59am and 40 minutes later first class tickets have finished,” he lamented.

Another passenger, who simply identified himself as Ibrahim, said he witnessed some very important personalities (VIP) who boarded the 8:00am train without purchasing tickets.

Just this morning two coaster buses conveying VIPs boarded the first train to Kaduna, I didn’t see them purchase tickets,” he said.

Ordinarily, the buses would have conveyed them to Abuja but the high rate of insecurity on the road has left many with no other option but the train.

Tickets Sellers Inflate The Price
The police officers and station security assigned to curb the activities hoodlums buying tickets and reselling at exorbitant prices had a difficult time keeping passengers in line.

It was usual to see passengers shout and scream at those trying to shunt the queue.

At one instance, a lady in the queue attempted to use a brick to assault a station security official whom she accused of allowing a passenger shunt the queue.

It took the intervention of some police officers to calm her. No official at the station was willing to speak to react to the events witnessed.