THE Managing Director of the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC), Kayode Opeifa, has taken full responsibility for yesterday’s derailment of the Abuja-Kaduna train, which left several passengers injured.
Speaking to journalists today, Opeifa expressed regret over the incident, describing it as a serious safety failure that should never have occurred. He assured Nigerians that the derailment was under thorough investigation and promised that the findings would not be covered up.
“Beyond apologising to Nigerians, I want to state clearly that as the managing director and chief executive, I take full responsibility. In safety matters, there can be no indifference. Once such an incident happens, leadership must be accountable,” he said.
According to him, no lives were lost in the accident, which he described as a “near miss,” given the potential severity of such incidents.
However, four passengers sustained serious injuries, while two others were treated and discharged immediately.
He added that the NRC would continue monitoring the medical condition of all passengers, including the 618 others who might be experiencing post-traumatic stress.
Opeifa noted that while the derailment should not have happened, the corporation was committed to preventing future occurrences.
He cited the recent shutdown of the Warri-Itakpe rail line for safety upgrades as an example of NRC’s proactive measures to safeguard passengers.
The derailment occurred shortly after the train departed Abuja at about 11 a.m. on its way to Kaduna, causing panic as passengers scrambled to safety.
The NRC boss reiterated his commitment to ensuring rail safety across the country, stressing that lessons from the incident would be applied to strengthen operations.