•Stranded passengers
Hundreds of passengers have been left stranded for two days at the Warri train station, Delta State, following a breakdown of the free train service introduced for the festive season.
The incident has sparked frustration and disappointment among travellers, reports Daily Trust.
Eyewitnesses described the scene as chaotic, with the crowd swelling by the day. Many passengers expressed concerns about the delay in addressing the situation, attributing it to poor maintenance of the free train service.
“It’s unfortunate that we’ve been stuck here for two days,” a stranded passenger lamented.
“Maybe because the train is free, they don’t think it’s important to maintain it properly.”
The free train service, launched as a special initiative by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, was designed to ease travels for Nigerians during the festive season.
The directive, which allowed citizens to travel at no cost from December 20 to January 5, was initially praised as a thoughtful gesture by the government.
However, the Warri station breakdown has cast a shadow on the programme, leaving passengers frustrated and stranded.
“We appreciate the government’s effort, but this breakdown has caused us more harm than good,” said another passenger.
“The authorities need to act fast to fix the train and help us continue our journey.”
As of the time of this report, no official statement has been released regarding the cause of the breakdown or when the service will resume.
Passengers are calling on the government and relevant agencies to prioritise repairs and provide immediate assistance to those affected.
