Reps probe ‘racketeering’ in e-ticketing platform for Abuja-Kaduna train service

The house of representatives has resolved to investigate the alleged racketeering rocking the e-ticketing platform for the Abuja-Kaduna train service. 

The resolution was passed at Tuesday’s plenary session following the adoption of a motion sponsored by Zayyad Ibrahim from Kaduna state.

In January, the federal government launched the N900 million e-ticketing platform for the online purchase of tickets at the Abuja-Kaduna rail corridor.

Rotimi Amaechi, minister of transportation, said at the time that the platform will solve travellers’ complaints about fraud and ticket racketeering.

But people still complain about officials and touts who are allegedly defrauding travellers despite the initiative.

Leading a debate on the motion, Ibrahim said passengers have been denied the privilege of accessing the train service as a result of ticket racketeering.

He said this is worsened by the influx of passengers using the service as a result of the security challenges along the Abuja-Kaduna expressway.

“The number of passengers led to ticket-racketeering, an ugly practice that led to the arrest of five suspected train ticket racketeers in 2019 by operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), ” he said.

“The e-ticketing system for the Abuja-Kaduna train services enables commuters to book tickets online, thus curbing ticket racketeering and the stress of purchasing tickets at the train stations.”

Ibrahim, however, lamented that the ticket racketeering is still going on at the stations despite the e-ticketing initiatives, calling on his colleagues to probe the matter.

The house adopted the motion and also asked the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) and Secure ID Solutions Limited — the project’s concessionaire — to “strengthen their internal mechanism with a view to eradicate ticket racketeering.”