…Says plans underway to link Abuja to Warri
…NRC MD apologises over alleged ‘assault’ on journalists
…Adds that 20 passengers sustained injuries
By Johnbosco Agbakwuru
ABUJA—The federal government has said there was no sabotage in last week’s Abuja-Kaduna train derailment and emphasised the continued safety of rail services nationwide.
The Minister of Transportation, Senator Saidu Ahmed Alkali, who stated this, alongside Managing Director of the Nigerian Railway Corporation, NRC, Mr Kayode Opeifa, at a briefing in Abuja, also issued an unreserved apology to the Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, regarding the alleged abusive treatment of Comrade Ladi Bala, the immediate past national chairperson of the Nigeria Association of Women Journalists, NAWOJ, who was covering the incident.
Bala was reportedly denied access at the accident site, prompting NAWOJ to demand an apology,
On the derailment, the minister dismissed claims of sabotage, stating that the “point machine” from Abuja to Kaduna had been fixed, adding that no prior derailment issues had occurred since then.
Point machine is a device that remotely operates railway switches by moving and locking track blades to guide trains safely; modern systems include sensors to verify blade positions.
Alkali said: “We have fixed the ‘point machine’ from here up to Kaduna, and since then, there has been no issue of derailment. For this incident, investigations are ongoing, and we don’t want to preempt the committee until it submits its report.”
He noted that investigations were ongoing and cautioned against premature conclusions until the investigative committee submits its report.
Acknowledging challenges with vandalism of railway infrastructure, Alkali highlighted ongoing arrests, prosecutions, and enforcement efforts against culprits but appealed for stronger judicial support to deter such acts.
“There are constant arrests of people who vandalize our critical national assets, and they are always taken to the court in various states, and a lot of them are put to jail. A lot of them are made to pay fines, but the urge to steal them still remains,” he said.
The minister, who noted that four of the ten derailed coaches had been removed with specialised cranes, revealed government’s collaboration with the Office of the National Security Adviser, NSA, on a comprehensive rail protection plan, disclosing that procurement processes were underway to link the Warri-Ajaokuta-Itakpe-Abuja rail corridor.
Fielding question on the utilisation of the ¦ 30 billion allegedly budgeted by the previous administration for rail security, Alkali clarified that the previous administration did not allocate the proposed amount in the final budget, despite initial proposals.
On why only one train was operational in Itakpe-Warri corridor and why government has not extended the service from Warri to Abuja, Alkali explained that plans were on to expand train services to Abuja, contingent on patronage and operational considerations, with NRC actively working on improving the frequency of trips.
“Government is working on that. It intends to link Warri- Ajaokuta-Itakpe to Abuja, we are working on the procurement.
“So, the NRC has to look at the patronage on the segment and the operational issues that are involved. However, NRC is working on that to improve the number of trips on the corridor,” he said.
NRC Managing Director, Opeifa, reassured that the derailment was not caused by sabotage or structural failure but an operational accident at a junction point.
He said all 618 passengers were safely evacuated, with 20 sustaining minor injuries, seven hospitalised but now discharged, and all medical expenses covered by NRC.
He commended the swift response from first responders, security agencies, and local communities and confirmed ongoing track repairs with services expected to resume soon.
On the poor treatment meted out on the NAWOJ member, Opeifa said: “If any journalist or medium felt excluded or not well treated at the accident scene, I take full responsibility and I sincerely apologise.
‘’We are committed to transparency and will continue to provide the press with access and information as events unfold.’’
According to the National Bureau of Statistics, NBS, Nigeria has experienced 188 train derailments from 2020 to 2025, making derailment the leading cause of railway accidents, due to factors such as poor maintenance, vandalism, weak security and aging infrastructure.
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