Managing Director of the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC), Kayode Opeifa, says he takes full responsibility for Tuesday’s derailment of the Abuja–Kaduna train, pledging that the ongoing probe will be comprehensive and transparent.
Speaking on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief on Wednesday, Opeifa stated:
“Beyond apologising to Nigerians, I want to state clearly—as the Managing Director and Chief Executive—I take full responsibility. When it comes to safety, there is no room for indifference. Once something like this happens, the chief executive must own it—and I do.”
The derailment, which occurred shortly after the train left Abuja around 11 a.m., left four passengers with serious injuries and two others treated and discharged. Opeifa confirmed that no lives were lost and promised to follow up on the recovery of all 618 passengers on board, including support for post-traumatic care.
He emphasized that such incidents should not occur but pledged measures to prevent any recurrence. He cited the recent shutdown and repairs on the Warri–Itakpe rail line as evidence of NRC’s commitment to safety.
On whether sabotage played a role, Opeifa declined to speculate, saying:
“It would be premature for me to speak on that because it would undermine the authority conducting the investigation. But I can assure Nigerians that our tracks are secure. This corridor is monitored by the military, and within minutes of the derailment, an Air Force helicopter was on site.”
The NRC chief explained that services on the route would not resume until the Nigeria Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) clears the site and reconstruction is complete. He estimated the work would take no more than 30 days once approval is given.
Following the derailment, operations on the Abuja–Kaduna rail corridor have been suspended indefinitely. Refunds have been initiated for all passengers, and technical teams from NRC, NSIB, and other agencies are already investigating the cause.
This latest incident follows a similar derailment in January 2023 near Kubwa in the FCT, where no casualties were reported.
