The Managing Director of the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC), Kayode Opeifa, has apologised to Nigerians over the recent Abuja-Kaduna train derailment, taking full responsibility for the incident and assuring that corrective measures will follow.
Speaking on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief on Wednesday, Opeifa described the derailment as regrettable, noting that while no lives were lost, the incident caused unnecessary panic and discomfort for passengers.
The Abuja-Kaduna train, which departed around 11 a.m., derailed shortly after takeoff, forcing operations to a halt and raising fresh concerns about the safety of Nigeria’s rail network.
Opeifa admitted that the derailment “should never have occurred” but said the NRC was treating the setback 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 said.
The NRC boss disclosed that proactive measures were already being implemented across other routes. He cited the Warri-Itakpe line, which was shut down three weeks ago to allow engineers replace worn-out tracks and fix weak spots as part of wider safety upgrades.
Reassuring Nigerians of the corporation’s commitment, Opeifa pledged that every journey on the nation’s railways would be made safer.
“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,” he said.
