Fuel Scarcity: Passengers Express Shock As Lagos-Ibadan Train Runs Out Of Fuel

Passengers travelling from Ibadan to Lagos State on train have expressed shock and anger as the train reportedly ran out of fuel.

According to videos posted online by some of the stranded passengers who were seen sitting on the railway track, this happened on Thursday but the exact location was not given.

However, given that the incident reportedly happened at 11am, the train ought to have arrived in Lagos if it didn’t stop.

It was gathered that some persons brought fuel and refilled the engine to move the train from where it stopped.

Our correspondent gathered that the train leaves Ibadan for Lagos by 8am on weekdays and it leaves Lagos for Ibadan the same time on weekdays. However there is a slight difference in departure time and frequency of the trains at weekends

The Thursday incident has however triggered reactions from Nigerians and one student, Promise Okon, who frequently travels on Lagos-Ibadan train told our correspondent that the train service was also becoming unpredictable.

Okon said, ” There is nothing that cannot happen in Nigeria. I have never heard of train running out of fuel. So, fuel scarcity is also affecting train service in Nigeria.

” I hope trains won’t start to suffer flat tyres like vehices very soon.”

Another regular traveller on Lagos-Ibadan train, Alex Maxwell, said the train service had started to lose its attraction to.passengers just about a year of starting the operation

He said, ” This thing became operational about a year ago and we have started to see all manner of strange things happening.

” Is it not better to return to the road with its attendant risks and troubles? There was a time the train stopped because vandals removed some of the components on the track.

” We need to be more serious in this country but I am not surprised this is happening. But it will be good for our image if we can start to do things the way those in decent climes are doing.

” We copy a lot but unfortunately we don’t copy good things, only the bad things and that’s a pity.”

Although the Nigeria Railway Corporation denied that the train stopped because it ran out of fuel, it did not give the reason for the stoppage.

The spokesperson for the NRC, Mahmoud Yakubu, described the claim as fake news.

He said, “That news is completely fake; how will fuel get exhausted in a locomotive? Our services have not been interrupted, train services continue, forget about train stoppage or not, the most important thing is that train services continue. Our train is working perfectly.”