Abuja-Kaduna Train: FG Orders Deployment Of Airforce Jet As DSS Arrest NRC Officials

The Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led Federal Government has approved the deployment of an Air Force jet to assist the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) in beefing up security along the Abuja-Kaduna rail line.

This followed an alert by the Department of State Service (DSS) of a possible attack by terrorists.

Recall that terrorists had on Monday, March 28, 2022, attacked an Abuja–Kaduna bound train in Katari village, Kaduna State, kidnapping many people. This incident forced the Nigeria Railway Corporation (NRC) to briefly halted operations along the route.

In a leaked letter signed by DSS Director of FCT Command, R.N. Adepemu, entitled, ‘Security Alert: Impending Threat By A Coalition Of Banditry Syndicate To Attack Abuja-Kaduna Train Service Along AKTS Corridor,’ the DSS warned train passengers to be extra vigilant over the impending attack.

The DSS warned of an “impending threat to seamless train transportation along the Abuja – Kaduna Train Service (AKTS),” adding that a coalition of banditry syndicates was plotting to attack the Abuja-Kaduna train aimed at kidnapping passengers on board for ransom any moment from now.

Sources told The Nation that the jet deployment was one of the pre-emptive measures taken by the authorities to prevent a reoccurrence of the 28 March 2022 terrorists’ attack on an Abuja–Kaduna train.

It was also gathered that the DSS had arrested some staff of the NRC over the leakage of its 11th August 2023 letter to the corporation’s Managing Director.

Operatives of the DSS were said to have stormed the Idu train station, Abuja, on Thursday to effect the arrest of NRC staff suspected to have leaked the letter.

One source said: “The DSS is arresting some people because of the leaked information. The DSS officials were at the Idu station to arrest some of the staff of the Abuja-Kaduna Train Service for the purpose of investigation to know who actually released the letter because, with such leakage, there is bound to be panic in the country and possibly reduce the rate of patronage of the train service.

“The letter was not meant to be in the public domain, but we have found ourselves in a country where some people don’t know how to manage information.”

On the turnout of passengers following the leaked letter, he said: “There was little tension on Wednesday and Thursday, but I think the tension has reduced because today (Friday), the tickets finished at our Idu station.”