The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has on Sunday arrested nine persons suspected to have been involved in train ticket racketeering in Abuja and Kaduna following a carefully planned operation by the personnel of the commission.
The Commission moved into action after receiving an intelligence report alleging that some group of people at train stations have been racketeering train tickets, a situation that is subjecting passengers to difficulty in obtaining the tickets.
During the operation, five of the suspects were arrested at Idu and Kubwa stations in Abuja on Saturday while the remaining at Rigasa station in Kaduna. Their action made it difficult for passengers to have direct access to tickets, thus sabotaging government efforts in ensuring easy transportation across the country. Investigations revealed that these racketeers in connivance with some touts were defrauding unsuspecting travellers by selling train tickets at a higher rate.
For an economy ticket of N1,300 /N1,500 were sold at the rate of N2,000 to N5,000 and for First Class which goes for N2,500 was being sold for between N7,000 to N15,000.
Meanwhile, three persons including a staff of the station and two touts have been arrested. The Station Manager, Chief Marketing Officer and Chief Parcel Booking Officer of the Kaduna Railway Station have also been invited by the commission.
