• Opeifa takes responsibility for incident, pledges safety on rail tracks
• Promises thorough, transparent investigation
• Restore confidence in transport system, Obi tells NRC as Sani decries negligence
• NSCDC deploys on-the-spot assessment tactical team

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has commiserated with the passengers of the Abuja–Kaduna train that derailed on Tuesday along the Kaduna corridor shortly after it left Abuja at about 11:00 a.m., en route to Kaduna.

Tinubu, on his official X handle, also said that he awaits a full briefing to ensure swift action and support for all those affected, adding that necessary steps were expected to be taken to prevent similar occurrences.

“Even while in Brazil, I have received reports of today’s (Tuesday’s) Abuja–Kaduna train derailment. I am deeply saddened by this incident. My heartfelt prayers are with the injured, their families, and all passengers who went through this distressing experience,” he stated.

Meanwhile, Managing Director of the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC), Kayode Opeifa, yesterday, said he had taken full responsibility for the derailment.

Opeifa, who spoke when he appeared on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief, however, said the ongoing investigation into the incident would not be swept under the carpet.

The NRC boss also said that the injuries of four of the Abuja-Kaduna train passengers were serious. He said that the crash occurred at a “point,” a rail junction where trains switch directions, adding that the section would be a key focus of investigation.

Opeifa said the Nigeria Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) had taken over the probe to determine the cause of the derailment, whether “human, track, electromechanical, or other factors.” He, however, disclosed that commercial train service on the corridor would not resume until NSIB concludes its investigation and gives clearance for reconstruction.

HOWEVER, the 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, has called for a renewed public trust in Nigeria’s transport infrastructure following the recent derailment of the Abuja–Kaduna train.

Reacting to the incident, Obi, in a post on his X handle, expressed concern over the safety of passengers and emphasised the need for continuous investment in critical infrastructure like rail transport.

Also, former Kaduna Central Senator, Shehu Sani, has blamed negligence on the part of the authorities for the derailment of the train. Sani described the derailment as avoidable, insisting that repeated lapses expose systemic negligence in rail management.

Meanwhile, in a post on its official X handle, the NRC said that emergency teams, medical personnel, and security operatives had been deployed to the scene.

Chief Public Relations Officer of the NRC, Callistus Unyimadu, appealed for calm and urged passengers and the public to remain patient as investigations continue.

Also, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) said it had deployed a tactical team for an on-the-spot assessment. Commandant General of the Corps, Prof. Ahmed Audi, who disclosed this at the agency’s headquarters in Abuja, yesterday, said the NSCDC is dedicated to safeguarding the nation’s Critical National Assets and Infrastructure CNAI), and will follow up on the incident.

Audi, while commending Opeifa for his leadership and response to the incident, gave the assurance that the agency would take action against any individual found sabotaging railway installations.