Hundreds of residents from Maiduguri, the capital of Borno State, rallied at the Maiduguri Railway Terminus to voice their opposition to the removal of train coaches for repair in Jos, the capital of Plateau State, by the Nigerian Railway Corporation on Sunday.

According to Daily Post, the protesters carried placards that bore messages pleading for the coaches to remain in Maiduguri.

The protesters expressed their fears that the government’s actions were an attempt to deprive Borno of its train services.

Malam Adamu Ibrahim, one of the protesters, pointed out, “At the peak of insurgency, the NRC came and took two of the coaches; now they are trying to take everything away. This is unacceptable.”

Another protester, Malam Babakura Goni, expressed concerns that relocating the coaches would result in Borno losing essential infrastructure. He stressed the importance of transparency in the decision-making process.

Malam Babagana Chiroma, another protester, raised questions about the government’s motives, stating, “This is an economic sabotage of our state. They want to go and renovate the coaches and put them into use in another state.”

In response to the protesters’ grievances, Borno’s deputy governor, Malam Usman Kadafur, urged patience and assured the crowd that the government was addressing the issue. He acknowledged that the protests were due to a lack of proper sensitization by the NRC.

Kadafur called upon the Federal Government to explore the possibility of rehabilitating the coaches within Maiduguri, rather than moving them out of Borno.

He assured the protesters that the government would ensure transparency in any actions taken.

He emphasized the significance of reviving the rail system, noting that the Maiduguri Rail Terminus had a historical role in facilitating trans-Sahara activities with neighboring countries, including Niger, Chad, and Cameroon.

“The administration will not allow such action,” Kadafur asserted, speaking on behalf of the state government. “If the NRC wanted to engage in such activity, it ought to have informed the state government or even sensitized our people about the move.”

He concluded by saying, “This government will engage with the Federal Government to ensure that things are done in the proper way and transparently.”

Previously, there were reports circulating on social media about hoodlums attempting to transport the coaches away in trucks. The police intervened to thwart this suspected theft and apprehended some individuals.

However, in a statement by the Managing Director of the NRC, Mr. Fidet Okhiria, it was clarified that the coaches were being moved in an official capacity to the NRC’s Running Shed in Jos for overhaul and restoration.

The NRC sought to alleviate concerns about the motive behind the coaches’ relocation.