A growing number of important personalities, including top security officers, now avoid the notorious Abuja-Kaduna road due to fear of being kidnapped.

A Lagos-based chartered whose major clients are in the Abuja-Kaduna axis told News Express that he now often uses the train during his trips rather than go by road.

“If I have to travel by road from Kaduna to Abuja, I no longer charter cabs based on the advice of one of my clients in Kaduna. He told me to rather go to the motor park, board a loading vehicle but pay for two seats for my comfort,” the man disclosed.

His disclosure came as journalist and activist Olola Seun Akioye related his shocking discovery during a recent trip to Kaduna. He wrote on his Facebook wall:

“If you think everything is alright with this country, come, come quickly to Kaduna train station.

“Every single day now, kidnappers kill and well...kidnap people on Kaduna/Abuja expressway. So, rich people, powerful people, white people and Pakistanis, government officials, handsome and ugly people in absolute dread of the kidnappers have besieged the train station.

“I was in Kaduna this week, people came in for conferences and all, not one of them I met came by road. I met Generals of the army and air force with their entourage inside the train. I can’t mention very top, top govt officials I met on the train.

“On the return leg, the train station was like Oshodi market, children sitting on floors and crying in the sun, the small waiting room filled up four hours to the scheduled time (cos trains move two times only that day). People came with all manner of load, fridge, television, fan. I asked where is Abuja Park in town and they laughed. It has been abandoned, almost.

“10 minutes after start of sale of tickets, officials say first class tickets are finished (rather it was reserved for the various big men and govt officials).

“So I began a one-man protest. Big men should leave the train for us the masses, they should use the road. Why shorten our rations with your entourage and security details when your police could engage the kidnappers and kill them.

“The annoying ones are the Generals who ride to the station with siren and a truck load of soldiers. Why not use the road hen!”