From Yakubu Mustapha, Minna.
The Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) Mass Transit train locomotive used for the transit route between Minna to Kaduna has been allegedly diverted by the authorities concerned while passengers remain stranded following the route closure for business for over one month now.
Investigation revealed that the powers that be has deliberately diverted the locomotive to an unknown destination for their selfish desire thereby disconnecting the only route to the entire Northern Nigeria from benefiting from the laudable rehabilitated railway system by the federal government.
A Minna railway residence who is a businessman spoke to our reporter in anonymity that the District Manager of railway Corporation in charge of Niger state, Alhaji Yakubu Mahmud has caused a lot of hardship to its teaming customers who board train between Minna- Kaduna for their various businesses.
He disclosed that this has resulted in to the death of three persons along Minna, Sarkin Pawa and Kaduna road from robbery attacks and raping of many women by the same armed gang who specialized in robbing innocent passengers along that road.
The source lamented that such ugly incident has for long became a thing of the past but since the train stopped plying the route armed robbers had returned to their business along the road where they carted away large sum of money, properties from innocent businessmen and even raping women in the process.
He described the situation as “not only ugly but very unfortunate, sad and barbaric, that the railway is headed by a northerner at national level, Amb. Bamanga Tukur as the Chairman, Nigeria Railway Corporation NRC and even at the district office in Minna” he said.
All effort by our reporter to get the response of the District Manager, Yakubu Mahmud through several calls and text messages did not yield result, as well as the Public Relations Officer of the corporation who was away to Lagos, said that he cannot respond to such allegation.
However, the Niger State Police Command, PPRO ASP Abiodun Ibrahim Gambari when contacted confirmed the series of armed robberies and raping along Minna- Sarkin Pawa- Kaduna road. Adding that the hotspots was not within Niger state and cannot say anything about it.
He assured that the state territory was secured and safe for motorists.
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