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Outrage As Nigerians Refute Claims Of Free Train Rides, Reveal Empty Seats
By Tolulope Popoola
Eko Hot Blog reports that Federal government made train trips free of charge as part of efforts to mitigate the cost of transportation during the yuletide season, but Nigerians have come out to refute the claims of the free train rides, as passengers were not able to book seats because the spaces were always totally booked.
A picture taken inside the Lagos-Abeokuta-Ibadan train after Papa Lantoro, in the Abeokuta axis of the railway, by a passenger travelling from Ibadan to Lagos on January 1, 2024, showed empty seats in the train, contrary to the fully booked claims.
The big question remains, who then are the passengers that booked the seats when the train is empty? Why was the coach virtually empty at a time when the ride was free? Where were the passengers? These and many more ran through the minds of several passengers who were supposed to be beneficiaries of the free train ride.
According to eyewitness reports, passengers were not allowed to book and so many of them were stranded, while some opted to travel by commercial transport buses, paying high rates because of the ongoing festivities at that time after the booking of the train tickets was not successful.
Speaking with some of the passengers who pled anonymity, a passenger disclosed how he was filled with happiness and gratitude to the Federal Government of Nigeria when the free train ride was announced to the public.
He said, “I was filled with happiness and gratitude to the Federal Government of Nigeria when it was announced that train trips would be free of charge during this festive period. I was already racking my brain about how I would take my family of six to my town in Oyo for Christmas and New Year.
“My earlier arrangement was banked on the Federal Government’s promised wage awards of N35K but even normal salary was not paid let alone the wage award.”
He further revealed that they were paid only once for September and he had no idea when others would be paid or if they would even be paid at all, also describing how happy he was to get his family to Ibadan without paying for it.
Lagos-Ibadan train
The passenger said, “I tried to book tickets online but it was fully booked. We postponed the journey and the following day, it was fully booked again.
“Then we woke up very early in the morning the following day and got to the train station before dawn.
“We hoped to book tickets at the station but they told me it was fully booked again.
“As I stood perplexed, the official told me he could help me get the tickets if I was willing to pay a token.
“I asked how would it be possible when the seats were booked. He replied that he knew someone who had already booked but was no more travelling. Then I understood.
“Some unscrupulous staff of the NRC who were privy to the time the booking portal would be available would have booked all available spaces to sell the tickets to desperate travellers like myself.
“In that way, they would make some money and the acclaimed free trip wouldn’t be free but fares reduced. I left disappointed.
Another passenger narrated her experience to our correspondent, as she said, “I was travelling back from Ibadan to Lagos with my kids on the 1st of January 2024.
“I would resume back to work the following day so I tried booking the free train seats. It was fully booked, then someone told me there were three seats left for Ibadan to Abeokuta so I booked the seats to alight at Abeokuta and continue my journey by commercial buses.”
She added that she however noticed that most of the seats were empty which made her take a decision not to alight at Abeokuta but continue the journey.
In her words, she revealed, “After Papa Lantoro, I noticed that the seats were still empty. The whole lot of us who were passengers on the train could not fill up only two coaches. The rest seats of the six coaches were empty. Having realized what happened, I decided to take these pictures!”
According to the passengers, the Government ran the free trips with fuel and other logistic needs but some selfish and wicked staff decided to deny them the opportunity and eventually turned the palliative investment to waste.
Earlier this week, security operatives arrested a Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) official at the Ebutte-Metta train station over alleged ticket racketeering.
The official was among the corporation’s officials accused of booking tickets online and selling same to passengers.
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