I take responsibility for Abuja-Kaduna train accident – NRC MD
By IDNN Security Desk
NRC MD Owns Responsibility
ABUJA — The Managing Director of the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC), Kayode Opeifa, has taken full responsibility for Tuesday’s Abuja–Kaduna train derailment, insisting that “when safety is breached, leadership must own it.”
Appearing on Channels Television Opeifa confirmed that no fatalities were recorded, though six passengers were injured, four of them seriously. “We thank God this was a near miss. For an accident like this, you often see fatalities,” he said.
Investigation Underway
Opeifa said the incident is under investigation by the Nigeria Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB), alongside NRC technical staff. He stressed it would be premature to speculate on sabotage, though security agencies had already secured the corridor.
“This track is being monitored by the military. The Air Force helicopter was overhead within 10 minutes. The investigation will tell us what happened, and we must allow it to run its course,” he explained.
Safety Audits and Shutdowns
The NRC chief emphasised that similar steps taken on the Warri–Itakpe line show his commitment to safety. “Three weeks ago, I ordered the shutdown of the Warri–Itakpe route for repairs. We cut and replaced sections of track to prevent incidents. The same principle will guide us here,” he said.
He added that once NSIB declares the site open for reconstruction, NRC will carry out a full safety audit before resuming Abuja–Kaduna services, which could take up to 30 days.
Public Confidence at Stake
The derailment, which occurred shortly after the train departed Abuja with 583 passengers and 15 crew, sparked panic as commuters scrambled to safety.
Passengers described chaotic scenes, while critics demanded accountability. Opeifa apologised and pledged follow-up support for all passengers, including trauma counselling.
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