In a new development, the Managing Director of the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC), Kayode Opeifa, has taken full responsibility for the recent Abuja-Kaduna train derailment, describing the incident as “a near miss that could have been far worse.”
Addressing newsmen on Wednesday, Opeifa offered an unreserved apology to Nigerians and assured the public that the matter would be thoroughly investigated.
“Beyond apologising to Nigerians, I want to make it clear: as Managing Director and Chief Executive, I take full responsibility. When it comes to safety, there can be no indifference. Once an incident like this happens, leadership must own it — and I am doing just that,” he stated.
The NRC boss confirmed that while no lives were lost, six passengers sustained injuries, four of them serious.
“We thank God there was no fatality. For an accident of this nature, fatalities are often expected, but this was a near miss. Four passengers were seriously injured, two were treated and discharged, and we are closely monitoring their recovery,” he said.
He further disclosed that the corporation would follow up with all 618 passengers on board, offering support for both medical needs and possible post-traumatic effects.
Opeifa admitted that the derailment should never have happened but pledged stronger safety measures to forestall any recurrence.
“This kind of incident is neither expected nor wished for, but when it happens, it must bring out the best in us. Just as we did with the Warri-Itakpe corridor, which was shut down three weeks ago for safety reasons, we are determined to make the Abuja-Kaduna route even safer before resuming operations,” he assured.
Responding to speculations of sabotage, the NRC chief cautioned against hasty conclusions, stressing that investigations were still ongoing.
“Our tracks are closely monitored by the military with constant air and ground patrols. Within minutes of the derailment, an Air Force helicopter was already at the scene. We have not recorded any cases of banditry or terrorism along this corridor recently.
However, we will await the outcome of the investigation before making conclusions,” he explained.
Opeifa revealed that train services on the Abuja-Kaduna route would remain suspended until the Nigeria Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) formally declares the site open for reconstruction.
“Once NSIB clears the site, reconstruction will begin immediately. We do not expect the process to take more than 30 days from that point. Until then, train operations will remain suspended for the safety of Nigerians,” he noted.
The derailment occurred on Tuesday, shortly after the train departed Abuja at about 11 a.m., causing panic among passengers who scrambled for safety. NRC has since initiated full refunds of ticket fares for all affected passengers.
This incident comes barely a year after another Abuja-Kaduna train derailed in January 2023 near Kubwa in the FCT, which, fortunately, also recorded no casualties.
