By The Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) has ordered an investigation into the alleged assault on a lecturer of the University of Ibadan, Dr. Mikail Abdussalam, at the Obafemi Awolowo Train Station, Moniya in Ibadan.
The corporation said it took note of media reports concerning the incident and expressed serious concern over the alleged assault on the lecturer, which reportedly occurred at the train station.
In a statement signed on Monday by the CEO, Dr. Kayode Opeifa, the NRC said harassment, intimidation or any form of misconduct towards passengers or members of the public is unacceptable and contrary to its operational standards.
“The Corporation views the incident with serious concern and wishes to state clearly that harassment, intimidation, or any form of misconduct towards passengers or members of the public is unacceptable and not in line with the values and operational standards of the Nigerian Railway Corporation,” the statement said.
The corporation stated that its management had therefore ordered an immediate investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident.
It added that any personnel found to have acted contrary to the corporation’s professional and public service code of conduct would face appropriate disciplinary measures in line with established regulations and the laws of Nigeria.
The NRC also expressed regret over the incident and extended its apology to Abdussalam for the distress caused, stating that it “sincerely regrets the unfortunate incident and extends its apologies to the gentleman who was assaulted for the distress caused.”
The corporation further reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring that passengers and visitors at its facilities are treated with dignity, respect and professionalism at all times.
It added that steps were already being taken to strengthen adherence to customer service standards across its stations to prevent a recurrence of similar incidents, assuring the public that necessary steps are being taken to reinforce adherence to customer service standards across all its facilities.
The statement followed reports that the lecturer was allegedly beaten by railway workers at the Moniya station after he stopped briefly to drop off his sister who was travelling by train to Lagos, an incident that reportedly sparked public outrage and led to the arrest of two suspects
