There was outrage onboard the Kaduna – Abuja train on Sunday evening over the unruly behavior of an armed policeman attached to the train as escort.
The incident happened inside coach SP0019 of the KA8 train that left Rigasa Railway Station, Kaduna at 6pm and arrived at Idu Station, Abuja at 8:20pm, on Sunday.
Eye witnesses told 21st Century Chronicle that the cop disregarded the non-smoking warning, and gleefully took his time trying to suffocate the crowded economy coach.
All efforts by the embittered passengers onboard to prevail on the policeman, who was smoking together with a Lebanese passenger, to stop, fell on deaf ears, as he ended up threatening them with his weapon.
What deepened the anger of the majority of the passengers on-board was the nonchalant attitude of other policemen on board, who further threatened the passengers for complaining, instead of prevailing on their colleague to stop suffocating the coach.
In what appeared as a daring move, a particular officer came trying to cover up his colleague, boasting that he can throw out any passenger who dared to challenge the erring cop.
Public smoking attracts N50,000 fine, 6 months’ imprisonment
In June 2017, the federal Nigeria announced the enforcement of a smoking ban in public places, and the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) has designated all its train coaches as “non-smoking.”
Section 9 of the Nigeria Tobacco Control Act 2015 stipulates that offenders, once convicted, are liable to a fine of not less than N50,000 or not less than six months’ imprisonment, or both.
Some of the public places where smoking is prohibited include: child care facilities, educational facilities, health care facilities, playgrounds/amusement parks, public parks (gardens), stadia, restaurants/bars, public transportation, and plazas.
Policeman’s action irresponsible – Passengers
The police escorts on board said the erring cop was handed over to the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in Kubwa. But passengers doubted the police story, alleging that it is a cover-up.
“Efforts by passengers to get his colleagues on board to bring him to stop him failed as they tried to cover him, saying the officer would be handed over to Kubwa DPO,” one of the passengers said.
Another passenger who spoke to this newspaper said “the most disheartening part of the matter was when another police officer came and started threatening everybody on board the coach that he has the power to drop anybody at anywhere, anytime and nothing will happen.”
“When the cop was boasting, you can see the disappointment on the eyes of all the passengers on board that coach SP0019,” another passenger lamented.
Another eye witness said “but something needs to be done to bring this cop to answer for this disgraceful act, and all the other police officers on board the train be called for questioning.”
Policeman not arrested – Station manager
When 21st Century Chronicle contacted the Operations Manager of Idu Railway Station, Mr Victor Adamu, he said the matter was reported to him, but nobody was arrested over the incident.
Adamu said he contacted the DPO Kubwa, who told him that the matter was reported to him and no suspect was handed over to him.
“The DPO in Kubwa told me that he was indeed informed of the incident. But when he went to the platform in Kubwa to effect the arrest of the suspects, there was nobody,” he said.
Smoking policeman a passenger, not escort – Idu DPO
The DPO of Idu railway station who is in-charge of all cops attached to the train, Khalid Adamu Tuggar, when contacted, said he was “investigating the matter.” He however added that preliminary investigations revealed that the erring cop was not attached to the railway police division.
Mr Tuggar, who resumed duty at the station some days ago, said “we don’t condone this irresponsible behaviour.” He vowed to sanction any railway police officer found wanting over the incident.
