The Nigerian Senate has called on the Federal Government to deploy more coaches on the Abuja-Kaduna train service to ameliorate the plight of passengers and avoid the menace of kidnapping.
The resolution followed a motion by Sen. Ali Ndume, titled “urgent need to increase the number of coaches to the Abuja-Kaduna rail line”.
The Senate said the call had become necessary, following the number of people who out of fear of kidnapping and other criminal activities, have resorted to travelling by rail.
The Senate also urged the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) to increase the frequency of trips, while regulating prices to check abuse.
Ndume noted that most passengers travelling along the Kaduna-Abuja road had resorted to rail as a safer means of transportation.
He also said that the increase in the patronage of the rail services was as a result of its relative safety, comfort, convenience and affordability.
The lawmaker expressed concern that the train had been hijacked by the elites, who daily congest the stations for fear of being kidnapped or attacked by bandits on the Kaduna-Abuja road.
According to Ndume, many travellers jostle for tickets at the train stations on daily basis, adding that the shortage in the number of available coaches was the reason for the long queues recorded at the stations.
In his contribution, Sen. Shehu Sani, noted that the Kaduna-Abuja railway had become the oxygen and lifeline of the people, stressing that the road had become one of the most dangerous roads in the country.
However, Sen. James Manager, disagreed with the submission that the road was one of the most dangerous roads, stressing that the road was rather the most dangerous in the country, adding that only those who want to commit suicide can use the road at the moment.
Sen. Bala Ibn Na’alla said in his contribution that the increase in train coaches was not the solution, but increasing the frequency of trips, and wondered if the Kaduna-Abuja road should be abandoned because of security challenges.
The Senate Committee Chairman on Transportation, Sen. Gbenga Ashafa, revealed that the federal government had paid for 64 coaches, but lamented that the Chinese company building the coaches was only ready with 12 that would be delivered shortly.
The Senate, however, adopted the resolution through the voice vote.
MM/GIK/APA