Why I took Kaduna-Abuja train back home, by Aisha Buhari

The First Lady Hajia Aisha Buhari has explained why she decided to travel back to Abuja on Thursday by train rather than following the routine flight back.

Pictures of the First Lady sitting in one of the cabins of the Kaduna to Abuja rail line, were all over the media on Friday morning, including some major national dailies, leaving many of those conversant presidential travels wondering.

Providing an explanation into the circumstances responsible for the First Lady’s joining the train, Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Office of the First Lady, Aliyu Abdullahi, said she did it to encourage patronage for the railway service system in the country.

Abdullahi, who explained that the First Lady intended to interact with ordinary Nigerians while on the journey, said she also planned to show Nigerians that travelling by rail is safe and effective, adding it also showed that she is proud of the achievement’s of her husband’s administration.

“Actually, it’s to appreciate the beautiful works the President and this administration has done, in terms of infrastructure, so she decided to take advantage of the Kaduna-Abuja rail.

“The idea is to depict to the public that train is safe and efficient mode of transportation, because if the First Lady can ride it, it means it is safe for anybody.

“Besides that, it is meant show that she’s proud of what the administration is doing, proud of her husband’s achievements in the area of infrastructure.

“There’s no concern about safety or any question around why she did not fly because if there was a problem with an airline, she could have just flown with another company. The reason for her traveling by rail is what I have narrated to you.

“The whole idea was just to experience the trip on the train, interact with ordinary Nigerians who would not have had access to her on a normal day, encourage them, a form of inspiring the people,” Abdullahi said.