Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) has debunked the claim that the ongoing reduction in the frequency of the Abuja-Kaduna rail service was due to neglect or indifference by its management.
Rather, it attributed the development to the March 2022 terrorist attack on the corridor and the recent derailment that damaged key rolling stock, but assured that it was working around the clock to address the situation.
A statement yesterday by the Chief Public Relations Officer (CPRO) of NRC, Callistus Unyimadu, assured Nigerians that the current disruptions were temporary and not a result of neglect.
Unyimadu acknowledged the discomfort experienced by commuters in recent weeks, but insisted that the challenges reflected a phase of recovery, restoration and rebuilding.
According to him, the March 2022 attack, which claimed lives and caused widespread trauma, compelled the NRC management to overhaul its security and operational procedures.
This, he stated, included restricting late trips and deepening collaboration with the Armed Forces and the police to prevent a recurrence.
Besides, the spokesman emphasised that the August 26 derailment dealt a fresh blow to operations by damaging the flagship Diesel Multiple Unit (DMU) coaches used on the corridor, thereby reducing the number of serviceable trains available for daily trips.
Unyimadu expressed that repairs and refurbishment were ongoing with urgency, alongside arrangements for the deployment of additional coaches to restore normal frequency as soon as possible.
He said: “The reduction in service frequency is not the result of neglect or indifference. It is the direct outcome of the 2022 terrorist attack and the recent derailment incident, which damaged several coaches.
“We reassure our esteemed passengers that these challenges do not represent a decline in our commitment. They reflect a phase of recovery, restoration and rebuilding.
“The Federal Government, under the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu, has demonstrated strong support for strengthening rail infrastructure nationwide and the Honourable Minister of Transport is consistently engaged with the corporation to fast-track full restoration.”
