Index to Nigerian Newspapers

The federal government announced a free train ride for Nigerians from Christmas to New Year, but it caused tickets to become scarce and exploration and other infractions marred the initiative. Sunday Amos was happy with the gesture, but the other option was to stand. She boarded from Idu station on December 28th, 2021. Passengers were not willing to listen to the reporter and had to pay high prices for their train tickets. Sunday Amos was happy with the gesture and boarded from Idu station instead. An NRC official spoke to the reporter and said better customer service was needed. The turnout was impressive and 18000 people were carried between December 24th and January 4th, excluding the people from Abeokuta.

Alwan Ali Hassan, the managing director of the Bank of Agriculture, who was kidnapped together with other travellers on the tragic Abuja-Kaduna train last Monday, has regained his freedom. Hassan was one of 398 passengers who purchased tickets for the 186 km Abuja-Kaduna rail line, according to Daily Trust, but was attacked a few km into Kaduna by militants who had detonated explosives on the rail line. The MD was released, according to a terrorist who spoke in Hausa, because of his advanced age and the spirit of Ramadan. However, a source last night claimed that cash was actually given to the terrorists when Alwan confronted them and struck a bargain with them for his release. The man informed them that he is ill and that it will be their loss if they don't reach a settlement and he passes away. They settled on N100 million, which was paid in installments at several locations in Zamfara, Katsina, and Kaduna, according to him.