Senate President Godswill Akpabio Thursday mocked the crumbling Abuja-Kaduna railway, declaring that “even a keke napep” (commercial tricycle) would outpace the once-proud train service, as the Senate launched a full probe into its decline.
The quipmet with laughter and applause reflects the dramatic fall of the 2015 line, built by China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC) with Chinese loans and once a symbol of modern rail travel.
Daily passengers have crashed from 10,000 at launch to under 1,000 per shuttle, hit by poor maintenance, vandalism, bandit attacks, derailments (latest in August 2025 at Asham), and chronic delays.
Senator Abdul Ningi (PDP-Bauchi Central) sparked the session with a vivid account: his recent trip, meant for one hour, stretched over three due to worn coaches and outdated tracks.
“This is a Nigerian tragedy,” he said, labeling it a “national emergency.”Senator Adamu Aliero (Chairman, Senate Committee on Transport) called the line an “eyesore,” while Akpabio demanded scrutiny of every kobo spent on contracts and operations.
The Senate revived and inaugurated an ad-hoc committee chaired by Senator Adams Oshiomhole, tasking it with a six-week review of contracts, maintenance, finances, security, and Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) management.
Recommendations will target track upgrades, new coaches, and restored reliability.
Commuters have fled to buses, taxis, or kekes due to overcrowding, erratic schedules, and safety fears, eroding revenue and public trust.
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