FCT Security: Kaduna-Abuja Service to resume as UK declares Abuja safe

About eight months after terrorists bombed the Kaduna-Abuja train corridor and kidnapped scores of passengers leading to the suspension of services, the Federal Government is set to resume passenger lifting on the route before the end of this month.

The Minister of Transportation, Mu’azu Jaji Sambo, who announced this while giving an update on the achievements of the ministry between 2015 and 2022, said the federal government also planned to link up the 36 state capitals with the rail network in order to provide seamless means of transportation for the citizens.

Sambo, who admitted the pains thrown up by the March 2022 attack on the Kaduna-Abuja train route, said that the government had learned many lessons from the attack and has also adopted many measures to prevent future attacks and give the users of the service a sense of security and safety.

Meanwhile, the United Kingdom Embassy in Nigeria has declared the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) safe for movement in an updated security alert to its citizens in country.

Two weeks ago it would be recalled, the UK, the United States, and four other countries had alerted the nationals on planned terror attacks in the FCT.

In the latest notice placed on its website on Monday evening, the UK said: “The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) no longer advises against all but essential travel to the Federal Capital Territory, including the city of Abuja, but risks remain, and further details about the continued threat from terrorism in this region have been added.

The UK, however, warned its nationals against all trips to Borno, Gombe, Kaduna, Katsina, Zamfara, riverine areas of Delta, Bayelsa, Rivers, Akwa Ibom, and Cross River States.

It also maintained its advice against all but essential travel to Bauchi, Kano, Jigawa, Niger, Sokoto, Kogi, within 20km of the border with Niger in Kebbi State, Abia, non-riverine areas of Delta, Bayelsa and Rivers, Plateau, and Taraba States.