Well-to-do Nigerians sack commoners on Abj/Kad train as kidnappers rule highway
Barely two weeks after the Acting Inspector General of Nigeria Police, Mohammed Adamu announced that safety has returned on Abuja-Kaduna highway over the jumping cases of armed robbery and mass kidnapping, happenstances have proved him wrong.
Otherwise, not up to days after the assurance, bandits resumed mass kidnapping, telling their victims that they will not stop until government reverses its decision to pay repentant insurgents and militants their monthly stipends in full.
This however, created a serious shock at the Abuja-Kaduna rail stations as what was originally expected to be the services for the poor is now hijacked by the rich thereby displacing the commoners in assessing the train service.
Recently, a Facebook enthusiast (name with held) wrote on his wall saying “The rich who usually drive on convoys and flashy cars are now afraid of following the road and being kidnapped”.
“A few days ago, I went to Rigasa in Kaduna around 1:00 pm to board the 2:30 afternoon train.
“I was shocked at the crowd I saw there.
“The number and qualities of cars bringing passengers was amazing.
“I saw the rich and over fed elites, their wives and ajebo children (children of the rich) in hundreds.
“They are afraid of going to Abuja on the road. I went and joined a long queue with the intention of buying a ticket.
Continuing, he revealed that “Less than 30 minutes later, we were informed that the tickets have been exhausted. We were told that they will still sell tickets without seat numbers”.
He said “When I asked what that meant, I was told it is for those willing to stand as the tickets with seat numbers have finished. I opened my eyes wide in surprise! Buy a ticket and stand for 2 hours?
No way!
“I boldly told those around me I was going by road. Some looked at me and said they will wait for the 6:00 pm train.
“Others said they are willing to stand in the train from Kaduna to Abuja.
“That is how pervasive and endemic the fear of going to Abuja by road have become.
“I looked at the faces of the rich around me and smelt real fear.
In anger, he argued that “A fear they created,” claiming “Most of them made money by no hard work”.
“They looted government money and created a rift and gap between the rich and the poor.
“They made sure the middle class system was completely eroded.
He stressed that “It is either you are stinkingly rich or you are hopelessly poor. And they flaunted what they stole without shame and created enemies.
“They denied the poor education, health, roads and other infrastructure that spelled good governance.
“Today the poor have nothing to eat but the rich. And the rich cringe in fear.
According to him, “Well, I left them in their paranoid state and went to board a car to Abuja. I can face the road. I am not a rich man.
However, he was quick to note that “It is just that the kidnappers do not know the difference now”.
