The Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) has denied involvement in alleged ticket racketeering on the Abuja-Kaduna Train Service (AKTS), blaming scammers for exploiting high demand and bypassing its ticket verification procedures. The corporation’s reaction followed a viral video by Instagram blogger Faizah Raji, who alleged that the NRC deliberately created artificial…...
The Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) has denied involvement in alleged ticket racketeering on the Abuja-Kaduna Train Service (AKTS), blaming scammers for exploiting high demand and bypassing its ticket verification procedures.
The corporation’s reaction followed a viral video by Instagram blogger Faizah Raji, who alleged that the NRC deliberately created artificial scarcity of train tickets before reselling them through agents at inflated prices.
In a statement on Thursday, October 15, 2026, the NRC said Raji had acknowledged that the corporation advised passengers to purchase tickets only through approved portals but resorted to an agent after failing to secure a ticket online.
According to the statement signed by the NRC Chief Public Relations Officer, Callistus Unyimadu, the blogger claimed she eventually bought a ticket from an agent at twice the official price.
The corporation said while her experience might be genuine, her conclusions about the NRC and its management were unfounded.
The NRC explained that ticketing on the standard-gauge rail services was handled by private concessionaires under public-private partnership arrangements, rather than directly by the corporation.
It identified SecureID/TPS as the operator handling ticketing for the Abuja-Kaduna service, Global Software Digital Solutions (GSDS) for the Lagos-Ibadan Train Service, and Fane Warri-Itakpe Ticketing Solutions Ltd. for the Warri-Itakpe Train Service.
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The corporation said the concessionaires were approved by the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission and the Federal Executive Council before 2023.
On the measures introduced to curb ticket racketeering, the NRC said the government made the National Identification Number (NIN) a requirement for ticket purchases following the 2022 train attack, but some scammers subsequently devised ways to obtain multiple NINs and resell tickets to unsuspecting passengers.
It said it introduced a second verification process in 2025, requiring passengers to present personal identification when boarding, in addition to the NIN used to purchase their tickets.
“The NRC ticketing and verification system is integrated live with the NIMC database,” the statement said, adding that the system at Idu and Kubwa in Abuja, as well as Rigasa in Kaduna, could retrieve the photograph associated with the NIN used to purchase a ticket.
The corporation said the process was designed to identify passengers travelling with tickets purchased using another person’s identity.
However, it acknowledged that security checks at the Rigasa station could be undermined by inadequate access-control infrastructure.
“The Rigasa/Kaduna station being an hurriedly adopted station do not have an acceptable Access Control System thereby occasionally allowing agents of scammers to overwhelm security operatives,” the statement added.
The NRC also attributed the difficulty passengers face in securing tickets to demand exceeding available capacity by more than tenfold, saying the imbalance had contributed to the scarcity of seats.
It said electronic ticketing operators had been directed to improve access to their portals while complying with established ticketing procedures.
The corporation warned passengers against buying tickets through unauthorised third parties or using another person’s NIN or name to secure tickets.
“The corporation has declared zero tolerance against ticket racketeering and staff of the corporation found culpable or colluding in the crime would be summarily dealt with,” the statement said.
The NRC also assured passengers that it would continue working to prevent ticket fraud and improve railway services across its operating corridors.
“The corporation shall continue to ensure quality customer service at all times, across all our operation areas as we are determined to ensure that the train becomes a first choice alternative by discerning travellers across the country,” the statement added.