NRC debunks ticket racketeering allegations, blames scammers for artificial scarcity

The Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) has denied allegations that it deliberately creates artificial scarcity of train tickets on the Abuja-Kaduna Train Service (AKTS) to facilitate their resale at exorbitant prices through unauthorised agents.

The corporation described the allegations, contained in a viral social media video by Instagram blogger Faizah Raji, who operates the handle @wearegst, as libellous, insisting that it does not buy or sell train tickets and should not be held responsible for transactions between passengers and third-party agents.

In the video, titled “The NRC Is Stealing Its Own Tickets to Resell”, Raji accused the corporation, which she incorrectly referred to as the Nigeria Railway Commission, of deliberately making tickets unavailable on its electronic ticketing platform before reselling them through agents at prices significantly higher than the official fares.

According to the blogger, she had made several unsuccessful attempts to purchase a ticket through the official electronic ticketing portal before eventually buying one from an agent at twice the official price.

The NRC, however, maintained that while the blogger might have experienced difficulties purchasing a ticket through the official platform, her conclusions about the corporation’s alleged involvement in ticket racketeering were unfounded.

In a statement issued by the corporation’s management on Thursday, the NRC said Raji had acknowledged in her own account that the corporation had repeatedly warned prospective passengers against purchasing tickets from unauthorised agents.

The corporation argued that passengers who disregard its warnings and patronise third-party ticket sellers do so at their own risk.

It stressed that the inability of prospective passengers to secure tickets through the official portal did not establish that the corporation was deliberately withholding tickets or collaborating with agents to sell them at inflated prices.

The NRC also clarified that the electronic ticketing operations on its standard-gauge railway corridors are managed by private concessionaires under public-private partnership arrangements, rather than directly by the corporation.

According to the statement, SecureID/TPS handles ticketing for the Abuja-Kaduna Train Service, Global Software Digital Solutions (GSDS) manages the Lagos-Ibadan Train Service, while Fane Warri-Itakpe Ticketing Solutions Ltd handles ticketing for the Warri-Itakpe Train Service.

The NRC said the three concessionaires were approved by the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC) and the Federal Executive Council (FEC) before 2023.

The corporation explained that its responsibility was to facilitate passengers’ access to the railway system and ensure that individuals with valid tickets could board trains, rather than to engage in the buying and selling of tickets.

It added that the concessionaires had been directed to improve the accessibility and efficiency of their electronic ticketing platforms to enable more passengers to obtain tickets through the approved channels.

Addressing the persistent scarcity of tickets on the Abuja-Kaduna corridor, the NRC attributed the problem largely to a significant imbalance between passenger demand and the number of available seats.

The corporation said demand for train services had increased substantially as more Nigerians opted for rail transportation, with demand now exceeding supply by more than tenfold.

It maintained that the situation had created considerable pressure on the available ticketing system, making it difficult for some passengers to secure seats, particularly during periods of high demand.

The NRC nevertheless insisted that the scarcity of tickets did not justify purchasing them from unauthorised agents or using tickets obtained with another person’s National Identification Number (NIN) or name.

It described such practices as economic sabotage and warned that passengers who patronised third-party sellers risked being denied access to trains.

The corporation traced its efforts to combat ticket racketeering to the aftermath of the 2022 train attack on the Abuja-Kaduna railway corridor, following which the Federal Government introduced the use of the National Identification Number as a requirement for purchasing tickets.

According to the NRC, the measure was intended to strengthen passenger identification and prevent individuals from buying tickets in bulk for resale at inflated prices.

However, the corporation said suspected racketeers had devised ways to circumvent the system by obtaining multiple NINs, enabling them to purchase tickets and resell them to unsuspecting travellers.

To address the problem, the NRC introduced a double-verification system in 2025, modelled on the passenger identification procedures used at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport Terminal 2 in Lagos.

Under the arrangement, passengers are required to undergo verification of the NIN used to purchase their tickets, while a personal identification card must also be presented before boarding.

The corporation explained that its ticketing and verification system was integrated with the database of the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), allowing officials to retrieve the photograph associated with the NIN used for a ticket purchase.

It said the system operates at Idu and Kubwa stations in Abuja, as well as Rigasa station in Kaduna, enabling officials to compare the passenger presenting a ticket with the identity of the person whose NIN was used during the purchase.

According to the NRC, the first stage of the process helps officials identify passengers attempting to travel with tickets purchased using another person’s identity.

Such passengers, it said, would be denied boarding when the discrepancy was detected.

The corporation, however, acknowledged that infrastructure limitations at the Rigasa station had occasionally created challenges in enforcing the verification procedures.

It explained that the station was adopted hurriedly and did not have an acceptable access control system, making it possible for agents of suspected scammers to overwhelm security personnel at certain times.

The NRC said the introduction of the additional identification check was intended to strengthen enforcement and prevent individuals from exploiting weaknesses in the existing arrangements.

The corporation maintained that effective implementation of the measures required both a reliable passenger identification system and adequate access control infrastructure at railway stations.

Reiterating its position against ticket racketeering, the corporation warned passengers against purchasing tickets through unauthorised intermediaries or using tickets bearing identification details that did not belong to them.

It said the practice undermined the integrity of the railway’s ticketing system and created opportunities for criminal exploitation.

The NRC also warned that passengers who purchased tickets from third parties could lose their money if the tickets were invalid or could not be used because of discrepancies in their identification details.

The corporation said it would continue to work with the electronic ticketing concessionaires to improve the accessibility of official portals and ensure that ticket purchases complied with established procedures.

It added that its management had adopted a zero-tolerance policy towards ticket racketeering and would take decisive disciplinary action against any staff member found to be involved in the practice or colluding with suspected racketeers.

According to the statement, any employee found culpable would be dealt with summarily.

The corporation also questioned the motivation behind the viral video, suggesting that the blogger might have been reacting to an experience involving an unacceptable ticket or identification details.

However, the NRC did not provide evidence to establish that this was the case, instead presenting it as a possibility while maintaining that the allegations against the corporation were unfounded.

The controversy comes amid growing pressure on the Abuja-Kaduna railway service, where demand for available seats has reportedly risen sharply as passengers seek alternatives to road transportation.

The persistent difficulty in securing tickets has also created an opportunity for unauthorised intermediaries to exploit prospective passengers who are unable to obtain seats through official channels.

While the NRC attributed the situation partly to the imbalance between demand and available capacity, its assurance that ticketing concessionaires had been directed to improve their platforms suggests that accessibility remains an issue requiring attention.

The corporation said it remained committed to preventing criminal activities within the railway system and protecting its reputation against allegations it considered misleading.

It assured passengers and Nigerians that it would continue to strengthen its measures against individuals seeking to undermine the system, while improving customer service across its railway operations nationwide.

“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 said.

Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (Syndigate.info).