Abuja — Nigeria’s state railway company on Monday resumed a popular train service between the capital Abuja and the northern state of Kaduna, suspended since in March after gunmen killed passengers and kidnapped several dozen.
Africa’s most populous nation is battling insecurity in the north from armed gangs who attack villages and highways and kidnap people for ransom, and a long running insurgency that has killed thousands and displaced millions more.
The Nigerian military in October secured the release of the remaining 23 hostages from the train attack. President Muhammadu Buhari’s government had said the train service would only start once all hostages were freed.
“We are starting afresh, and I pray we will not have a re-occurrence of that ugly incidence by God’s grace,” said Ganiyat Adesina-Uthman, a lecturer who was travelling to Kaduna for the first time since March.
Passengers were required to provide national identification numbers, while armed security were on board the train.
*Abraham Archiga, MacDonald Dzirutwe, Editing: Peter Graff – Reuters
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