The Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) has announced the suspension of its Warri-Itakpe rail service following a derailment incident on the corridor on Thursday evening.
The train, travelling from Itakpe in Kogi State to Ujevwu in Delta State, derailed at approximately 7:15pm.
Ediri Oyibo, a digital strategist and frequent user of the service, described the harrowing experience, noting that the train wobbled precariously at several points during the journey before it eventually derailed. “As a frequent user of the train service, riding on the train from Ujevwu to Itakpe on Wednesday, 3rd of July 2024, I practically had my heart between my teeth when the train wobbled along its track at several locations; one, on top of a valley crossing,” Oyibo recounted.
He warned that the service was a disaster waiting to happen, particularly highlighting the dangers of a derailment on a valley crossing.
Another passenger, who is broadcast journalist, Taribio Walson-Oweifawari, shared her terrifying experience on social media. “My coach is VIP and it is Coach 1. The coach immediately after ours was Coach 2 and it derailed. Hai!!! I just kept shouting Jesus when it looked like ours was going to tumble. Just a little bit more, that coach would have fallen off the high point, and taking our coach with it,” she wrote in a Facebook post.
Passengers also reported earlier issues during the trip, including a brake failure that caused the train to overshoot a station.
However, in response to the incident, the NRC announced on Friday morning that train operations on the Warri-Itakpe route have been suspended. “Due to an unexpected fault, train operations are suspended for today. We apologize for the inconvenience and appreciate your understanding,” the NRC stated.
LEADERSHIP reports that the NRC has faced several derailment issues on the same route. Last year, operations were suspended after a derailment at kilometre 30 on the Ajaokuta-Itakpe section of the track.The Kaduna-Abuja route has also experienced derailment twice this year, with the most recent happening in May.
