By Olasunkanmi Akoni
The Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) has denied involvement in alleged ticket racketeering on the Abuja-Kaduna Train Service (AKTS), describing a viral social media report accusing it of creating artificial scarcity to facilitate the resale of tickets at inflated prices as misleading.
The denial followed a video posted on Instagram by blogger Faizah Raji, with the handle @wearegst, titled “The NRC is stealing its own tickets to resell.”
In the video, Raji accused the corporation of deliberately creating artificial ticket scarcity and reselling tickets through agents at exorbitant prices.
However, the NRC Managing Director, Dr Kayode Opeifa, through the corporation’s Public Relations Officer, Callistus Unyimadu, described the report as libellous and reflective of a lack of understanding of the issues surrounding ticket sales.
Opeifa said that although Raji acknowledged that the corporation had warned prospective passengers to purchase tickets only through approved channels, she reportedly approached an agent after failing to secure a ticket and eventually paid twice the official price.
“While Raji’s experience may be correct, her video lacked an understanding of the issues and called out NRC and its management,” the statement said.
The corporation maintained that passengers who patronise ticket agents despite its warnings do so at their own risk, adding that the NRC should not be held liable for losses arising from such transactions.
It clarified that electronic ticketing services were operated under public-private partnership arrangements, with SecureID/TPS handling the Abuja-Kaduna service, Global Software Digital Solutions (GSDS) managing the Lagos-Ibadan Train Service, and Fane Warri-Itakpe Ticketing Solutions Ltd. responsible for the Warri-Itakpe Train Service.
According to Opeifa, the three concessionaires were approved by the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission and the Federal Executive Council before 2023. NRC explains measures against ticket racketeering
The NRC said the Federal Government introduced the National Identification Number (NIN) requirement for train ticket purchases following the 2022 train attack, as part of efforts to curb ticket racketeering.
However, it said fraudsters subsequently devised ways of obtaining multiple NINs to purchase tickets for resale to unsuspecting passengers.
To address the problem, the corporation introduced a double-verification process in 2025, requiring passengers to undergo NIN verification and present a personal identification card before boarding.
“The NRC ticketing and verification system is integrated live with the NIMC database.
“Our system at Idu, Kubwa in Abuja, and at Rigasa in Kaduna, has the capacity to pull and display the picture of the person whose NIN number was used in purchasing the ticket from NIMC database,” Opeifa said.
He, however, acknowledged that the Rigasa station in Kaduna, which was adopted hurriedly, lacked an adequate access-control system, occasionally allowing agents allegedly involved in ticket fraud to overwhelm security operatives.
The NRC managing director also admitted that demand for rail services had exceeded available capacity by more than tenfold.
Despite the pressure on the service, he described purchasing tickets from third parties using another person’s NIN or name as unacceptable and an act of economic sabotage.
The corporation said it had directed the electronic ticketing companies to improve access to their online platforms, stressing that its role was to facilitate passenger access rather than buy or sell tickets.
Opeifa also questioned whether the blogger’s allegations followed an unsuccessful attempt to board a train with an unacceptable ticket or were motivated by other considerations.
NRC warns staff against collusion
The corporation declared zero tolerance for ticket racketeering, warning that any staff member found culpable or collaborating with those involved would face summary disciplinary action.
It reaffirmed its commitment to improving customer service across its operations and making rail transport a preferred alternative for travellers nationwide.
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