Pat Stevens/
The Managing Director of the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC), Kayode Opeifa, has described Tuesday’s Abuja-Kaduna train derailment as a “near miss,” saying the incident could have been far worse.
Speaking on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief today, Opeifa said that he took full responsibility for the accident, which occurred around 11am, shortly after the train departed Abuja.
“Beyond apologising to Nigerians, I want to state clearly—as the Managing Director and Chief Executive—I take full responsibility. When it comes to safety, there is no room for indifference. Once something like this happens, the chief executive must own it—and I do,” he said.
Opeifa confirmed that while no lives were lost, four passengers sustained serious injuries, and two others were treated and discharged.
He added that all 618 passengers would be monitored for possible post-traumatic effects.
“That was a near miss because for this kind of accident, you often see some level of fatality,” he said. “We thank God that wasn’t the case.”
On concerns of sabotage, he said it was “premature” to draw conclusions, stressing that the Abuja-Kaduna corridor is under constant military surveillance.
According to him, the Nigerian Air Force and army responded swiftly, with a helicopter hovering over the site within minutes of the incident.
Opeifa explained that reconstruction of the damaged track would only begin after the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) concludes its probe.
He also pledged a safety audit before operations resume, citing his earlier decision to shut down the Warri-Itakpe route for repairs as proof of his commitment to passenger safety.
The derailment comes nearly two years after a similar incident in January 2023 near Kubwa, in the Federal Capital Territory.
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