Nigeria resumes Abuja-Kaduna train service attacked by gunmen

Record ID: 1701143

  • Title: Nigeria resumes Abuja-Kaduna train service attacked by gunmen
  • Date: 6th December 2022
  • Summary: ABUJA, NIGERIA (DECEMBER 5, 2022) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF NEW TRAIN ARRIVING AT STATION EXTERIOR OF TRAIN STATION SECURITY OFFICERS STANDING OUTSIDE THE STATION’S ENTRANCE PEOPLE SEATED IN THE TRAIN LOUNGE VARIOUS OF PASSENGERS SEATED AND TALKING / WOMAN SCROLLING THROUGH HER TICKET QR CODE HANDS HOLDING AND PRESSING PHONE (SOUNDBITE)(English) TRAIN PASSENGER, GANIYAT ADESINA-UTHMAN, SAYING: “I’m so happy to be on the service today, the first day of resumption. We are starting afresh, and I pray the occurrence will not come again, we will not have a recurrence of that ugly incidence by God’s grace.” VARIOUS OF WOMEN WALKING AND ENTERING THE ELEVATOR WOMAN ENTERING THE TRAIN WOMEN PUTTING THEIR BAGS IN THE OVERHEAD COMPARTMENT VARIOUS OF WOMEN SEATED IN THE TRAIN VARIOUS OF TRAIN SHOWING EMPTY SEATS (SOUNDBITE) (English) TRAIN PASSENGER, LUKMAN SALAMI, SAYING: ''You could be apprehensive but definitely we cannot continue to live in fears, we need to move on with our life and hope the government will do the necessary in terms of providing security and make the citizens safe again.'' MORE OF EMPTY SEATS (SOUNDBITE) (English) GENERAL MANAGER, ABUJA – KADUNA TRAIN SERVICE, PASCAL NNORLI, SAYING: “Well, you wouldn’t have expected to have full complement of passengers being the first day, and you know the decision to resume service today was taken within a short notice. But I hope that going forward you will see that there is improvement in the passenger turnout.”
  • Embargoed: 20th December 2022 08:23
  • Keywords: Attack Insecurity Kidnapped Nigeria Train
  • Location: ABUJA AND KADUNA, NIGERIA
  • City: ABUJA AND KADUNA, NIGERIA
  • Country: Nigeria
  • Topics: Africa,Disaster/Accidents
  • Reuters ID: LVA001456805122022RP1
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text:Nigeria's state railway company on Monday (December 5), resumed a popular train service between the capital Abuja and the northern state of Kaduna that was suspended in March after gunmen killed some passengers and kidnapped several dozens.
    Security officials were seen manning several positions as eager passengers who have not been able to visit Kaduna from Abuja were excited at the resumption.
    ‘’I’m so happy to be on the service today, the first day of resumption. We are starting afresh and I pray the occurrence will not come again, we will not have a recurrence of that ugly incidence by God’s grace,’’ said Ganiyat Adesina-Uthman, a lecturer who has not been to Kaduna since the incidence in March.
    Africa's most populous nation is battling insecurity in the north from armed gangs who attack villages, highways and kidnap people for ransom and a long running insurgency that has killed thousands and displaced millions more.
    The Nigerian military in October secured the release of the remaining 23 hostages. President Muhammadu Buhari's government had said the train service would only start once all hostages were released.
    But despite releasing all the hostages and upping the security, the turn out of passengers was low with lots of empty seats in the train.
    ''You could be apprehensive but definitely we cannot continue to live in fears, we need to move on with our lives and hope the government will do the necessary in terms of providing security and make the citizens safe again,’’ a passenger, Lukman Salami said.
    Pascal Nnorli is the General Manager at the train station.
    ‘’Well, you wouldn’t have excepted to have full complement of passengers being the first day, and you know the decision to resume service today was taken within a short notice, but I hope that going forward you will see that there is improvement in the passenger turnout,’’ he said.
    Passengers were now required to provide national identification numbers and contacts, while armed security would be on board the train to ensure the security of passengers, the Nigerian Railway Corporation said.
    (Production: Abraham Achirga, Angela Ukomadu)
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2022. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
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