The Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) has suspended the Warri-Itakpe rail service.
The decision, Politics Nigeria understands, was taken after a train derailed on Thursday, July 4.
“Due to an unexpected fault, train operations are suspended for today. We apologise for the inconvenience and appreciate your understanding,” the NRC said in a statement on Friday.
It was gathered that the train was travelling from Itakpe in Kogi to Ujevwu in Delta when the accident occurred at about 7.15pm.
Ediri Oyibo, a digital strategist who was on board when the accident happened said the train derailed at several times during the journey.
“As a frequent user of the train service, riding on the train from Ujevwu to Itakpe on Wednesday, 3rd of July 2024, I practically had my heart between my teeth when the train wobbled along its track at several locations; one, on top of a valley crossing,” he said.
“Riding on the train, something told me the Warri-Itakpe train service is a disaster waiting to happen. A derailment on top of a valley crossing will spell doom.
“Passengers on the trip reported how the train had earlier overshot a station it was supposed to stop due to brake failure.”
Another passenger, Taribio Walson-Oweifawari, said the coach before hers almost fell off a high point when the train derailed.
“My coach is VIP and it is Coach 1. The coach immediately after ours was Coach 2 and it derailed. Hai!!! I just kept shouting Jesus when it looked like ours was going to tumble. Just a little bit more, that coach would have fallen off the high point, and taking our coach with it,” she wrote on Facebook.
