Danger looms in Lagos as women, children sleep on railway tracks

By BENJAMIN OMOIKE

For some women and their children, the narrow and standard gauge railway tracks in Agege have become bedrooms.

A visit to the location showed some of the women and children just waking up and getting set for the day’s business, while some were still sleeping on mattreses spread on the railway track.

Enquiries by our correspondent revealed that these mothers and their children go to bed on the rail tracks as late as 11pm when they are sure that the last Iddo to Ijoko train has passed.

Also, they wake up from ‘bed’ before 7am, just before the first Ijoko to Iddo train passes through Agege.

Speaking to our Correspondent, one of the mothers explained that it is very expensive to get an accomodation in Agege, giving the nature of their means of livelihood.

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According to the nursing mother, who identified herself as Rukayat, “Getting an accomodation in Agege is very expensive, so we sleep on tbe railway track. Everybody has their own space, just enough to accommodate them with their children.

“We know the schedule of the trains (Lagos-Ibadan and Ijoko-Iddo), so we go to bed when the last train has already passed, and we wake up first thing in the morning just before the first train passes towards Ikeja.

“We survive through begging for alms and there is no way we can raise enough fund to get an accomodation here in Agege.”

When asked where the father of the children sleep and work, Rukayat explained that he works in a factory along Oba-Akran in Ikeja and occasionally sleeps with them on tbe rail track.

“My husband works in a factory in Ikeja and occasionally comes here to sleep. Most times, he hangs out with friends and pass the night in market stalls or shops,” Rukayat said.

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