From Idu Jude Kaduna
As the Federal Government of Nigeria, moves to resume commercial operations of the suspended rail services along Abuja/ Kaduna corridor, the Minister of Transportation Mu’azu Jaji Sambo, has said that security measures are not to be disclosed as it is paramount to secure lives and properties.
The Minister, stated this Sunday in Rigasa Kaduna State, while briefing Journalists on the resumption of Commercial activities shortly after inspection of facilities.
The Minister who backtracked on his earlier submission, on not disclosing some of the efforts made over security measures, say that the ministry is, 90 per cent ready to resume train operations before the end of November. The Minister, said, ” as far as what we are set out to do is concerned. The remaining 10percent I am sure would be achieved in the next couple of days for full resumption of train services.
My assurance to Nigerians is that even I myself will be using the train, and other of my counterparts who have homes in Kaduna, infact from next week they will start using this train so I am giving Nigerians full assurance that a human being can give that this train is safe for them to be use. There is absolutely nothing to fear. We have learnt from what has happened and life is about learning lessons and adopting measures with the lessons. As a responsible government, we have seen those lessons and we have devices appropriate measures to counter it and like I always say that I was not going to allow this train to resume until everybody in captivity was released and to the glory of God I have achieved that”
Sambo, observed that certain concrete measures that are feasible for passengers to see and know that there are changes are for example: the ticketing.
He said, ” security starts from ticketing so now you don’t buy a ticket unless you have a valid phone number and you have an NIN and if you are a foreigner you also have a means of identification you can use which is produced by the National Identity management Commission. Having secured your ticket, you will not get access to the lounge until the machine reads the barcode in your receipt. What happens, you details will show and your complete profile will show on the screen. Only then will you be allowed to go into the lounge. This is what we call customer profiling.
Other visible changes people may notice would be increased number of security personnel and I tell you some of these security personnel may not be wearing uniform in order to guaranty the safety of passengers”
The Minister, also said that there are sensitive equipment which the FG have deployed and will not reveal.
He said that other thing is that th train should be monitored at each second and the train driver can see up to a certain distance. Against any threat and have to make emergency stopage.
“Naturally, you should expect a certain number of Nigerians who will not be comfortable to come back to board the train. We are human beings and we are bound to feel a little bit uncomfortable until we see that every security measures have been put in place. We will reduce the number of trips and as the traveling population picks up, we will increase the number of trips but we will certainly not travel at night. There will also be increase in fares
Meanwhile, the Minister, has say d that he is having final consultation with NRC to know whether resumption will be immediate or take a little time. This he informed should determine the new price of ticket, taking into corgnisance poor masses and sensitivity of government to their plights.
