At least three passengers are feared dead following the derailment of a train operating on the Warri–Itakpe rail corridor on Monday, triggering an emergency response by the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC).
The incident, which involved the Warri–Itakpe Train Service (WITS), disrupted operations on one of Nigeria’s busiest standard-gauge railway routes linking the South-South and North-Central regions.
Confirming the development, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the NRC, Kayode Opeifa, said emergency personnel had been mobilised to the scene to assist passengers and assess the extent of the accident.
“The Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) confirms that an incident involving the Warri–Itakpe Train Service (WITS) occurred today,” Opeifa said in a statement issued on Monday.
“Emergency response teams and relevant authorities are currently at the scene attending to the situation and providing necessary assistance.”
While initial reports indicated that three passengers may have lost their lives in the derailment, authorities had yet to officially confirm the casualty figure as rescue and assessment efforts continued.
The NRC boss assured the public that the corporation was closely monitoring developments and would provide further details as more information emerged.
“The Corporation is closely monitoring developments and a detailed statement will be issued as soon as more information becomes available,” he added.
As of the time of filing this report, the cause of the derailment remained unclear, with officials yet to disclose what may have triggered the accident.
The Warri–Itakpe rail line, one of Nigeria’s flagship railway projects, serves thousands of commuters and travellers daily, providing a vital transport link between communities in Delta State and Kogi State.
The latest incident is expected to raise fresh concerns over railway safety and operational standards as authorities commence investigations into the circumstances surrounding the derailment.
