By Matthew Tabe
The Management of the Nigeria Railway Corporation (NRC) has warned motorists and the general public against illicit crossing of railway routes across the country.
Recall that the death of Hajia Selimota Idowu, a principal accountant with the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), Abuja, at a railway crossing in a suburb of Abuja, has brought to light the dangers many rural communities along rail lines are exposed to as they go about their daily lives.
Mrs Idowu, a mother of three, was crushed to death in her car by a moving train on the Abuja-Kaduna track on December 15, 2022, at a crossing in the Chikakore axis of Kubwa, a satellite town in Bwari Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
Speaking exclusively on the phone with Quest Times, the Deputy Director of Nigerian Railway Corporation in charge of Media, Mr. Mamood Yakub, said the corporation is saddened by the incident and has written to the deceased’s family and NTA management to commiserate with them over the unfortunate incident.
He equally revealed that they have sent a press release to sensitize the public against crossing railway tracks nationwide illegally.
“We want to use this platform to caution motorists against plying the rail line illegally. There are designated legal crossing of the rail line to avoid any ugly incidents in future,” he said.
The tragedy came few weeks after the Abuja-Kaduna train service resumed operations.
In March, the government suspended operations on the route after an attack on a Kaduna-bound train by terrorists, leading to the death and abduction of several passengers. The abducted passengers were released in batches, with the last set free in October.