The 45-kilometer-long rail tracks and stations in Abuja would be secured with funding granted by the Federal Executive Council (FEC) of N718.19 million.
After the FEC meeting on Wednesday in Abuja, the Minister of the FCT, Mohammed Bello, revealed this during a briefing.
“In the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting of today, I presented a memo and the council approved a contract to two companies for the provision of security services for the Abuja Light Rail Mass Transit System,” the minister told reporters during the briefing.
“These companies are Messrs Al-Ahali Security Guards Limited and Messrs Seaguard Security and Protective Company Limited
“They are going to provide security to the entire 45 kilometres of track including 12 stations.
“And these security services are meant to protect the key infrastructure on the rail tracks, the signaling and communication equipment as well as the electrical system.
“Al-Ahali Security Guard Limited is going to secure 27.4 kilometres of the track, covering eight stations at the cost of N407,214,000 over a two-year period, while Seaguard Securities and Protective Company Limited are going to secure 18 kilometres of the rail tracks including four railway stations and that is at a cost of N310,979,250.”
Following an attack on the Abuja-Kaduna train line that caused operations to be suspended, the Federal Government recently took action.
Gunmen had detonated explosives and attacked the passengers in the March incident (kidnapped scores). The Federal Government stated it cannot resume rail services at this time months after the occurrence.
According to Muazu Sambo, minister of transportation, such a decision would be disrespectful to the suffering of families whose loved ones are still held captive.
He claims that the government is looking into the best surveillance technology to buy in order to efficiently monitor the tracks along the Abuja-Kaduna line and to grant a Public Private Partnership (PPP) concession.