No NIN, No Ticket – FG Tells Passengers Boarding Abuja-Kaduna Train

The National Identity Number (NIN) is now compulsory for passenger profiling when boarding the Abuja-Kaduna Train Service.

Managing Director of the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC), Fidet Okhiria, announced this on Thursday during an interview on Arise TV.

The NIN, Okhiria said is part of the new security measures adopted by the government.

The Minister of Transport had 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.

“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 the system will ask for NIN to ensure the person buying the ticket is buying for the person that is actually traveling.

For visitors, the NRC boss said someone with NIN must be able to identify the person.

Okhiria hinted that the number of Police, Civil Defense, and Military personnel would also be increased.

“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 NRC boss also 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.

“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”, he added.

-diplomatic diary