FG orders investigation into allegations of ticket extortion on Abuja-Kaduna railway line

The Federal Government has launched an investigation into allegations of ticket extortion on the Abuja-Kaduna railway line following numerous complaints from passengers.

Transport Minister Saidu Alkali announced the directive in a statement on his official X (formerly Twitter) account on Sunday.

He directed Fidet Okhiria, the Managing Director of the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC), to set up a committee to investigate and resolve the alleged problems.

In the statement, Minister Alkali noted the concerns of passengers regarding difficulties in purchasing tickets for the Abuja-Kaduna rail link.

He stressed that the committee’s main objective will be to review the entire ticket sales process, with a focus on identifying negligence or mismanagement and ensuring those responsible are held accountable.

“Following numerous complaints from passengers about difficulties in purchasing tickets, I have directed the Managing Director of the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) @info_NRC to set up a committee of inquiry and investigate the alleged negligence that led to these problems on the Abuja-Kaduna route The focus is on holding those responsible accountable.

“This committee will be charged with conducting a detailed review of the ticket purchasing process, identifying any areas of neglect or mismanagement and implementing necessary corrective actions.” The minister’s statement read in part.

This move aims to restore public confidence in the railway system by improving the transparency and efficiency of the ticket sales process.

In addition to directing the investigation into allegations of ticket extortion, the Minister of Transport, Saidu Alkali, in an image attached to his

What you should know

To purchase tickets on railway routes controlled by the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC), such as the Lagos-Ibadan route, passengers must use the NRC’s official e-ticketing platform.

The booking process begins by visiting the NRC e-ticketing website, where users are required to create an account by providing personal information such as their date of birth, gender and national identification number (NIN).

After successful registration, passengers can log in to the platform and continue booking tickets.

Once the traveler is logged in, they select their departure and destination stations as well as the desired travel date.

It is important that tickets must be booked at least 48 hours before the trip. The platform then displays the available train options, allowing passengers to make a choice depending on the schedule. Travelers can also select their preferred class of service – First Class, Standard Class or Business Class.

After selecting the desired train and class, passengers select their seat and enter the required passenger details before verifying their booking.

Payment is made through a partnership with the Flutterwave platform, ensuring a secure and seamless transaction. Once payment is confirmed, the passenger will receive an e-ticket, which can either be printed out or presented digitally at the station.

However, despite the convenience of the e-ticketing system, passengers have often expressed concerns about the difficulty in booking tickets through the platform. Many have reported that tickets are selling out quickly, forcing them to buy tickets at the station at higher prices.

Allegations of hoarding and ticket extortion have also emerged. Some travelers accused station officials of withholding inflated tickets for sale, further exacerbating challenges for passengers seeking to book online.

These ongoing problems have led to dissatisfaction and calls for reform of the ticketing process.