NRC boss accepts responsibility for Abuja–Kaduna train derailment

The Managing Director of the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC), Kayode Opeifa, has taken full responsibility for the Tuesday Abuja–Kaduna train derailment, pledging transparency and accountability in handling the incident.

Speaking on The Morning Brief, a Channels Television programme, on Wednesday, Opeifa admitted the seriousness of the derailment and assured Nigerians that the matter would not be swept under the carpet.

He explained that investigations into the cause of the incident are ongoing and promised that the process would be both thorough and transparent.

“Let me say, beyond apologising to Nigeria, I want to say as the Managing Director and Chief Executive, I take full responsibility. And in the case of safety, there is no indifference.

“Once it happens, the Chief Executive must take responsibility. In this case, I am taking responsibility,” Opeifa said.

According to him, though the incident should not have happened, the NRC would ensure that there is no recurrence.

“I want to assure Nigerians that an incident like this is not expected, is not prayed for, should not be happening, but where it does, it is to bring out the best in us.

“And I assure Nigerians that just as we are doing currently on the Warri-Itakpe, which he (the analyst) also mentioned, we shut down the Warri-Itakpe (route) three weeks ago.

“I ordered the shutdown for safety reasons, and if you see the level of work the men have been doing on the track, cutting it off and replacing it is to make sure things like this don’t happen,” he added.

Recall that the incident occurred on Tuesday along the Kaduna corridor shortly after the train left Abuja at about 11 a.m., en route to Kaduna.