Celebrities such as Jide Kosoko, Ayo Adesanya, Yomi Fash-Lanso and Ricardo Agbor on Tuesday joined Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu on the inaugural ride kicking off the commercial operations of Lagos Red Line rail.
At exactly 5:20pm, the train departed from platform two in Oyingbo Station for Agbado, a suburb at Lagos boundary line.
The inaugural ride comes seven months after the rail infrastructure was completed and commissioned.
Mr Sanwo-Olu arrived at the station at 5:00pm amid jubilation by members of the public invited to take the ride. Also joining the governor in the ride were members of the state cabinet, lawmakers, corporate executives, journalists and the public.
The governor made the boarding announcement after which the train service commenced. Four minutes later, the train arrived at Yaba Station, with some passengers disembarking to connect the Last Mile transport service to their destinations.
The train stopped at Mushin, before heading to Oshodi and Ikeja where Sanwo-Olu alongside his entourage disembarked. The journey took 34 minutes from Oyingbo to Ikeja.
Addressing reporters at the Ikeja Station, Sanwo-Olu described his experience as “smooth and outstanding,” noting that the service reduced the commuting time significantly.
He said: “This is an experience that we believe will not only help in solving issues around public transportation in Lagos, but will also improve connectivity and reduce the journey time for commuters in traversing the city. From here in Ikeja, the train proceeds to Agege before finally halting in Agbado.
“The general public can now feel what we have done in mass transportation. We have fulfilled our promises, especially on the Red Line, just as we did on the Blue Line. From this evening, there will be regular scheduled train services from Agbado to Oyingbo and back.”
Sanwo-Olu disclosed that the state was expecting additional rolling stocks for the Red Line next year. This, he said, will enhance the rapidity of the train service.
