Dennis Erezi
Following the derailment of the Abuja-Kaduna railway at Jerei in Kaduna, the Nigeria Railway Cooperation (NRC) has said it will continue normal train services on the corridor.
NRC spokesperson Yakub Mahmood in a statement said normal passenger train services between Kaduna-Rigasa, Idu Abuja continue despite minor derailment of our coach at Jerei station in Kaduna.
The Guardian reports that two coaches derailed from the track on Sunday morning.
He mentioned that all the passengers on board the derailed train had arrived at their respective destinations safely as a team of Engineers was already at the site to restore the affected locations.
“the Nigerian Railway Corporation Management regrets any inconveniences to our affected valued passengers, even as it assured passengers of efforts towards ensuring their safety and comfort always,” Mahmood said.
Meanwhile, the Nigeria Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB has launched an investigation into the Abuja-Kaduna train that derailed at the Jerei corridor.
The agency in a notice sent to the Guardian stated that it is “aware of the derailment of an Abuja-bound train from Kaduna, which occurred halfway into the journey at Jere. A go team has been deployed to the site of the incident.”
Former lawmaker Senator Shehu Sani on his official X handle also announced the train derailment in Kaduna.
An X user Akpan David alleged that since the China Civil Engineering Construction Company (CCECC) returned the rail project to NRC, there has been frequent train derailment.
“By the time they handover Lagos to Ibadan to NRC, derailment will still happen. The poor maintenance of track and what we called Pre-Operation check list before operation.”
The CEO Bethlehem Rail, Roland Ataguba, had emphasized on need to unbundle the NRC, stressing that a service provider cannot be the regulator at the same time.
He stressed that the NRC needs to concession the railways to the private sector while it regulates the sector to ensure efficiency of the service.
