THE Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) has warned residents and road users in the Kubwa area of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) against using illegal level railway crossings.
The NRC gave the warning in a statement signed by the Deputy Director, Public Relations, Yakubu Mahmood.
Mahmood urged residents to use constructed overpasses available in the area, noting that they are safer alternatives for crossing railways.
“The Board and Management of NRC wish to notify the public that there are two constructed over passes at different locations within the Kubwa, Abuja environs. This is for ease and safety of crossing railway lines of Abuja l—Kaduna Train Service.
“However, motorists have, for reasons best known to them, resorted to using illegally constructed level crossings, which have been in recent times fatal because of collision by the moving trains,” the statement said.
Speaking on the risks and dangers involved, he noted that the over passes constructed were in line with the Nigerian government’s railway modernisation policy to ensure safety of motorists and trains in the city.
“NRC hereby enjoins motorists and other road users to always use the over passes for their safety instead of the illegal level crossings that portrays great risks and danger to their lives and property,’’ Mahmood said.
The warning is coming after a Kaduna-bound train, on December 15, crushed a female driver to death at the Chikakore axis of Kubwa in Abuja.
The woman was later identified as Selimota Idowu Suleiman, a staff of the National Television Authority (NTA), Channel Five.
Ijeoma Opara is a journalist with The ICIR. Reach her via [email protected] or @ije_le on Twitter.