By Steve Agbota
The Federal Government has concessioned the ticketing system of the rail service to a private firm for 10 years, even as it made the use of the National Identity Number (NIN) and phone numbers compulsory for boarding the relaunched Abuja-Kaduna train.
The Minister of Transportation, Engr Mu’azu Sambo, also disclosed that the use of NIN is now compulsory for purchase of train tickets while adults can only use their NIN to register for not more than four minors, adding that it would also take care of ticket racketeering.
The Minister expressed satisfaction with the level of security measures put in place along the Abuja- Kaduna train route ahead of resumption of the train service.
Recall that suspected terrorists had attacked the Kaduna-Abuja train, killing scores of passengers while over 100 persons were kidnapped.
According to him, security measures have been put in place to forestall subsequent attack that may occur in the course of plying the Abuja-Kaduna corridor after resumption, saying that the measures put in place is adequate enough for the train service to commence.
“There are sensitive equipment which we have deployed that I will not reveal. The other thing I can tell you is that for every journey, the train is monitored every seconds on the screen.
“The train driver can see from a distance if there are any threats on the tracks that will enable him match the break long before getting to the threat, and that is why I am telling you confidently,” he said.
However, Sambo debunked the rumour that train services will resume on Monday (today), adding that the newly introduced measures will delay the resumption of business along the corridor for a few more days for passengers to get acquainted with the new protocol involved in train boarding before it will resume services.