Olayiwola Matthew
The Managing Director of the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC), Kayode Opeifa, has apologised to Nigerians for the recent Abuja-Kaduna train derailment and taken full responsibility for the incident.
Speaking on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief on Wednesday, Opeifa described the derailment as regrettable and assured that the matter would be thoroughly investigated.
The train, which departed Abuja around 11 am en route to Kaduna, derailed shortly after takeoff, leaving passengers stranded and causing panic.
Although no fatalities were reported, the incident has raised concerns about the safety of Nigeria’s railway infrastructure.
Opeifa acknowledged the gravity of the situation, saying the derailment should never have occurred.
However, he stressed that the NRC would treat the incident as an opportunity to strengthen its operations. “An event like this is not expected, is not prayed for, and should not be happening. But where it does, it is to bring out the best in us,” he stated.
The NRC boss pointed out that the corporation had already taken proactive steps to safeguard other routes, citing the Warri-Itakpe line, which was shut down three weeks ago for major repairs.
“Engineers are currently working on replacing worn-out tracks and fixing weak spots to prevent future accidents.
“We must earn the trust of Nigerians by ensuring that every train journey is safe and reliable. That is the standard we are working towards,” Opeifa added, assuring Nigerians that the NRC remains committed to safety and would continue to invest in upgrading infrastructure across its rail network.