Abuja-Kaduna Train Derailment: NRC Boss Kayode Opeifa Takes Full Responsibility

The Managing Director of the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC), Kayode Opeifa, has admitted responsibility for the derailment of the Abuja-Kaduna passenger train which occurred along the Kaduna corridor on Tuesday morning.

PulseNets learnt that Opeifa made this known on Wednesday while responding to questions during an interview on The Morning Brief, a Channels Television programme.

Speaking on the incident, Opeifa stressed that accountability must always come first in railway operations.

“Beyond offering an apology to Nigerians, I want to clearly state as Managing Director and Chief Executive that I take full responsibility. When safety is involved, there is no room for indifference. Once such an incident occurs, the Chief Executive must bear the responsibility, and in this case, I am fully taking it,” Opeifa told PulseNets.

He further noted that while the derailment should never have happened, the NRC is committed to ensuring such occurrences do not repeat themselves.

“This is an incident that is neither expected nor acceptable. It should not be prayed for, yet when it happens, it is a test of how best we can respond. I assure Nigerians that the NRC will not allow this to recur,” he added.

According to him, the Corporation has already been implementing corrective safety measures across its corridors. He cited the recent shutdown of the Warri-Itakpe rail line as an example of proactive management.

“Just as we are doing now on the Warri-Itakpe line, which was shut down three weeks ago on my orders purely for safety reasons, we are committed to ensuring our tracks are in the best condition. If you check the work being done there, you will see men cutting off and replacing sections of the track to prevent a repeat of incidents like this,” Opeifa explained.

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PulseNets recalls that the Abuja-Kaduna train derailment happened on Tuesday at about 11 a.m., shortly after the train departed Abuja en route to Kaduna. The incident has since sparked national concern about passenger safety and the state of Nigeria’s railway infrastructure.