The Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved N718.19 million to secure the 45-kilometre Abuja rail tracks and stations.

This was disclosed by the Minister of the FCT Mohammed Bello during a briefing after the FEC meeting on Wednesday in Abuja.

“In the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting of today, I presented a memo and the council approved a contract to two companies for the provision of security services for the Abuja Light Rail Mass Transit System,” the minister told reporters during the briefing.

“These companies are Messrs Al-Ahali Security Guards Limited and Messrs Seaguard Security and Protective Company Limited

“They are going to provide security to the entire 45 kilometres of track including 12 stations.

“And these security services are meant to protect the key infrastructure on the rail tracks, the signaling and communication equipment as well as the electrical system.

“Al-Ahali Security Guard Limited is going to secure 27.4 kilometres of the track, covering eight stations at the cost of N407,214,000 over a two-year period, while Seaguard Securities and Protective Company Limited are going to secure 18 kilometres of the rail tracks including four railway stations and that is at a cost of N310,979,250.”

The Federal Government’s recent move followed an attack on the Abuja-Kaduna rail line which led to the suspension of operations.

In the March attack, gunmen had planted explosives and attacked the passengers (kidnapped scores). Months after the incident, the Federal Government said it cannot recommence train services for now.

Minister of Transportation Muazu Sambo said such a move will be insensitive to the plight of families whose loved ones are still in captivity.

According to him, the government is investigating the right type of surveillance equipment to procure to effectively monitor the tracks along the Abuja Kaduna route as well as concessioning it in a Public Private Partnership (PPP) arrangement.