Although 10 trains have left for Osogbo, Osun State capital, from Lagos following the state’s free ride programme, hundreds are still stranded at the Iddo Terminal of Nigeria Railway Corporation (NRC).
News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that some of the stranded passengers regretted not making the trip.
But they lauded the governor’s gesture.
However, the NRC plans to make available 15 more coaches to move passengers going for the Eid-el-Kabir to Osogbo as arranged by Governor Rauf Aregebesola.
NRC’s Lagos State District Manager Jerry Oche said: “The first train ride left today (yesterday) at 8:38 a.m because of the crowd on the ground.
“We don’t want a situation where the train will be overcrowded. Another train will move the remaining passengers on Monday (today) with 15 coaches.
“We have moved 10 coaches today and each coach contains 96 passengers; by tomorrow, it will make a total of 25 coaches to Osun.”
An artisan, Mr Lawal Ahmed, told NAN that he was shocked when he got to the terminal to see the crowd and was told the train had left.
“The NRC should increase the number of coaches to enable the passengers enjoy the train services,” he said.
Mrs Sade Saidu noted that despite her early arrival at the terminal, she was not lucky to be on board.
“I was told the train left early this morning but they said another train is moving passengers tomorrow to Osun, I will try and join that tomorrow,” she said.
NAN reports that many travellers pleaded with the state government to provide more coaches or extend the days allotted for the exercise.