Laraba MUREY
The Nigerian Railway Corporation has announced that by May, 2023 it will begin linking profiles of train passengers with National Identification Numbers.
The Corporation disclosed this while providing the periodic update on the Abuja-Kaduna train that was bombed by bandits along Rigasa, Kaduna State on March 28, 2022.
According to the Managing Director, NRC, Fidet Okhiria, said the corporation has re-railed the last rolling stock and that all 14 de-railed rolling stock, including 11 coaches on the ill-fated train, and two-coaches and one locomotive on the rescue train, had all been re-railed.
He said the re-railed coaches and locomotive had been moved from the incident site to NRC’s stations in Idu and Rigasa.
On the move to link the profiles of travellers with their NINs, Okhiria said, “The process of linking passengers’ profiles to their NIN for improved profiling is ongoing. This layer of passenger screening will commence by May 2022.”
He stated that intensive track repair works had continued at the site of the attack, adding that an advanced level of track repairs had been achieved and hope to be rounded off in the 10 days.
The NRC boss said, “The security agencies are working tirelessly to ensure the rescue and release of our passengers abducted by the bandit during the attack.”
Okhiria, however, stated that the status of the 362 passengers and 20 train crew on board remained the same.
He said, “While we continue to sympathise with families of those who lost or have not seen their loved ones as a result of the AK9 train incident of March 28, 2022, we encourage anyone still looking for a loved one and has not reported to please contact the numbers: Funmi 08033546208; Halidu 08060044600; Hanatu 07066700150.”
This came as the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria assured passengers and other airport users that all airports were fully prepared and ready for the usual upsurge in passenger traffic, being the norm during the season.
The authority also stated that it had put all necessary facilities, infrastructure, and manpower in place to ensure seamless facilitation at the airports during the season and beyond.
“We also want to reassure all passengers and airport users of safety and security, as all necessary security architectures have been mobilised and activated at our airports,” the acting General Manager, FAAN, Hope Ivbaze, said in a statement issued on Thursday.
