“Rail stations in Abuja, Kaduna, and Kano will get luggage scanners” -FG
On Wednesday, the Federal Government gave its approval for the purchase and installation of luggage scanners in all Kano, Kaduna, and Abuja railway stations.
They consist of 50 handheld scanners, eight body scanners with color imaging, eight metal detectors, and eight X-ray scanners.
Ademola Adegoroye, the minister of state for transportation, informed reporters at the State House following last week’s Federal Executive Council meeting that the procurement will cost N498 million.
Adegoroye stated that the new installation was a part of the FG’s continuous program to increase railway transport safety while speaking at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
The Buhari administration claimed to have aggressively built out Nigeria’s rail network on a national level, but with that growth came security worries after a number of kidnappings, armed robberies, and terrorist attacks were reported during the preceding two years.
On Monday, March 28, 2022, Boko Haram-affiliated militants ambushed a train headed for Kaduna, killing eight people and kidnapped at least 41 others.
The Nigerian Railway Service consequently stopped operating any trains between Abuja and Kaduna for eight months.
Operations resumed in January 2023 amidst tight security and increased skepticism among passengers.
Adegoroye, who spoke on Wednesday, said the devices were necessary due to the need to secure lives and property on the rail.
“So, today there was a memo before the Council for the provision of baggage scanners at railway stations and I’m happy to inform you that the Council agreed with us and has approved that contract for scanners to be installed at railway stations so that when people get there and have goods, then they can pass through the scanners and they can be sure that there’s nothing that can destroy, that can cause violence or inflict danger or bring lives and property at stake.
“You’ll all agree with me that in view of the process of securing lives and property, such equipment has to be installed at our railway stations.
“Since we’re starting the railway revolution, we are trying to put in place a lot of things with the railways. We don’t want people to come and damage all that the government has been trying to put in place in that sector,” he explained.
