Minister gives two conditions to restart Abuja-Kaduna train service

Minister of Transportation, Muazu Sambo, says the Federal Government cannot restart the Abuja-Kaduna train services now because it will be insensitive to the plight of families whose loved ones are still in captivity.

He said this Wednesday while fielding questions from State House reporters at the end of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

He said two core matters remained at the heart of the delay in the resumption of Abuja-Kaduna train services suspended after the March 2022 attack.

The minister said these included families traumatized over their members still in captivity of terrorists and the need to have surveillance facilities to monitor the tracks.

He said government was looking at the best options in terms of the surveillance including concessioning it in a Public Private Partnership (PPP) arrangement.

Asked about definite timelines to execute the initiative, Sambo said: “If I give a timeline, I’ll be lying to you. It will be insensitive to restart the service if some families weep day and night over their members still in the bush.”

The minister said government was mindful of cost involved but should be able to report definite progress in about a month.

He announced that FEC approved a contract for the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) worth about N1.49 billion for the repair of cranes.