The Federal Government has announced that the train services on the Abuja-Kaduna rail line are set to return this month.
Mu’azu Sambo, Minister of Transportation, made the announcement on Monday in Abuja while giving the scorecard of his ministry.
Recall that rail services along the route was shut down following a terrorist attack on the train and its passengers on March 28.
According to Sambo, adequate security has been put in place to ensure the safety of passengers. The Minister, however, did not give any specific date for the resumption.
He said the ministry has learnt enough lessons from the attack in March which claimed the lives of several passengers leading to the suspension of train service on the Abuja-Kaduna route.
The minister said, “The Abuja Kaduna mishap was indeed a very sad one. And by the grace of God, we shall not witness anything like that again.
“Not only because we have committed that to prayer but we have also deliberately taken steps.
“Like you said, yes, indeed, lessons have been learned. And these lessons will be put into place.
“What are the lessons, safety, and security surveillance, constant monitoring 24/7 and 7 days a week, 12 months a year, all around the clock.
“The minister should be able to sit in his office and look at the rail corridor and see what is happening there.
“The president should be able to do that. The director-general of the State Security Service (SSS) should be able to do that and so on and all other security agencies.
“These are the measures we have put in place. Nobody will again shave our heads behind our backs.
“This month of November, we shall resume that service. Remember, I told you for those of you who are reporters from the State House that we will not resume this service until every Nigerian held in captivity was reunited with their families.
“God has made that possible, the security agencies in this country under the able leadership and support of Mr President have made that possible.
“And it is now history. Not one of them (hostages) was injured. Not one of them was hurt.”
