Sallah: Osun state cancels free train service; explains why

The Osun State Government has cancelled its free train service for people coming to the state to celebrate this year’s Eid-el-Kabir festival.

This was disclosed in a statement by the Permanent Secretary Ministry of Commerce, Industries, Cooperatives and Empowerment, Mrs Kehinde Odediran, on Monday.

Odediran explained the gesture had been cancelled due to a train accident around the Abeokuta-Lagos old gauge line, which resorted in blockage.

She noted the accident affected part of the train track, halting any train movement on the Lagos-Abeokuta line.

The statement further noted that a report from the Nigeria Railway Corporation confirmed movement on the train track was currently impossible due to the ongoing repair.

The statement further read, “Osun state government regrets to announce that the annual Imole Free Train service scheduled to convey hundreds of passengers from Lagos state to Osun to mark the Eid- El- Kabir celebration will no longer hold. The unfortunate development is a result of serious technical issues being currently experienced by the Nigeria Railway Corporation ( NRC).

“We wish to state with all sense of responsibility and in line with the ideals of Senator Ademola Adeleke’s annual Imole free train service that as soon as the technical hitches get rectified, normal services will resume accordingly.

“We also wish to state that, notwithstanding the present unfortunate development, the administration of Senator Ademola Adeleke will continue to provide the Imole Free Train Service to all our people during all festive seasons without any let or hindrance.”