The Federal Government has authorised that only passengers with the National Identity Number will be allowed to board boarding the Abuja-Kaduna Train Service.
According to the Nigerian Railway Corporation this has become compulsory for passenger profiling.
The Managing Director of the Corporation, Fidet Okhiria, announced this on Thursday during an interview on Arise TV.
NRC boss said the NIN is no longer optional, adding that it is part of the new security measures adopted by the government.
Meanwhile, the Minister of Transport last week announced the resumption of train service along the Abuja-Kaduna route after it was suspended in March this year.
He said, “Now we are going to include profiling of passengers on the train. It is not like that in the developed world. You can go to the station and buy your ticket nobody will ask for your passport, but being in the situation we have found ourselves in, we need to profile passengers.
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“We are collaborating with NIMC and ensuring that not only when you come to board the train, but your actual self will also show on the monitor and you will see it. If you are not the one, the gates will not open for you.
“We have also introduced a ticket dispensing machine, there are other facilities we have introduced to ensure that proper profiling is done.”
Okhiria said purchase of train ticket will be strictly by those with NIN which is now part of the requirement the system will ask for the person.
However, For visitors, the NRC boss said someone with NIN must be able to identify the person.
speaking about security, he assured that the number of Police, Civil Defense, and Military personnel would also be increased.
Okhiria said, “We are working with the security system of the country including the Military, the Police and Civil defense. Also, we are introducing technology.
“We are now in a position to at least know the real-time location of our train and at the same time have the visuals of the train and the immediate surrounding.
“The IG has promised that more security men, professional ones, and counter-terrorism police will be deployed. As I speak, an Area Command has been set up for the Abuja- Kaduna.”
He said the innovation will not be limited to Abuja-Kaduna, adding that it will be extended to Lagos-Ibadan and Itakpe-Warri lines.
Okhiria also disclosed that member of staff of the NRC has also been added to the passenger’s insurance scheme.
“We are having an additional insurance scheme that covers the passengers to cover the guards and cleaners among others,” he said.
He also revealed that the 95 per cent increase in worker’s salaries would be addressed soonest.
He said, “The 95 per cent I said is just for the National Salaries and Wages Commission to sanction it and pass it into the budget and everybody will start enjoying it.”
