No sabotage in Abuja-Kaduna train derailment – Minister

—Says plans underway to link Abuja to Warri

— As NRC MD apologizes over alleged ‘assaults’ on journalists

— Adds that 20 passengers sustained injuries

By Johnbosco Agbakwuru

ABUJA—Minister of Transportation, Senator Saidu Ahmed Alkali, has reassured Nigerians that there was no sabotage involved in last week’s Abuja-Kaduna train derailment and emphasized the continued safety of rail services nationwide.

Minister Alkali, alongside the Managing Director of the Nigerian Railway Corporation, NRC, Mr. Kayode Opeifa, held a briefing in Abuja to address the incident.

The NRC MD also issued an unreserved apology to the Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, regarding the alleged abusive treatment of Comrade Ladi Bala, the immediate past national chairperson of the Nigeria Association of Women Journalists, NAWOJ, who was covering the derailment scene.

Bala was reportedly denied access at the accident site, prompting NAWOJ to demand an apology, which Opeifa sincerely offered, taking full responsibility and affirming the NRC’s commitment to transparency and press access.

“If any journalist or medium felt excluded or not well treated at the accident scene, I take full responsibility and I sincerely apologise. We are committed to transparency and will continue to provide the press with access and information as events unfold,” Opeifa said.

On the derailment, Minister Alkali dismissed claims of sabotage, stating that the “point machine” from Abuja to Kaduna had been fixed and no prior derailment issues had occurred since.

Alkali said: “We have fixed the “point machine” from here up to Kaduna, and since then, there has been no issue of derailment. For this incident, investigations are ongoing, and we don’t want to preempt the committee until it submits its report.”

He noted that investigations were ongoing and cautioned against premature conclusions until the investigative committee submits its report.

Acknowledging challenges with vandalism of railway infrastructure, Alkali highlighted ongoing arrests, prosecutions, and enforcement efforts against culprits but appealed for stronger judicial support to deter such acts.

“”There are constant arrests of people who vandalize our critical national assets, and they are always taken to the court in the various states, and a lot of them are put to jail. A lot of them are made to pay fines, but the urge to steal them still remains,” he said.

He also updated that four of the ten derailed coaches had been removed with specialized cranes.

The Minister revealed government collaboration with the Office of the National Security Adviser, NSA, on a comprehensive rail protection plan and disclosed procurement processes underway to link the Warri-Ajaokuta-Itakpe-Abuja rail corridor.

Fielding question on the utilization of the  ₦30 billion allegedly budgeted by the previous administration for rail security, Alkali clarified that the previous administration did not allocate the proposed ₦30 billion for rail security in the final budget, despite initial proposals.

On why only one train is operational in Itakpe-Warri corridor and why government has not extended the service from Warri to Abuja, Alkali explained that plans exist to expand train services to Abuja, contingent on patronage and operational considerations, with NRC actively working on improving the frequency of trips.

“Government is working on that. Government intends to link Warri- Ajaokuta-Itakpe to Abuja, we are working on the procurement.

“So the NRC has to look at the patronage on the segment and the operational issues that are involved. However, NRC is working on that to improve the number of trips on the corridor,” he said.

NRC Managing Director, Opeifa, reassured that the derailment was not caused by sabotage or structural failure but was due to an operational accident at a junction point.

He said all 618 passengers were safely evacuated, with 20 sustaining minor injuries, seven hospitalized but now discharged, and all medical expenses covered by NRC.

He commended swift response efforts from first responders, security agencies, and local communities and confirmed ongoing track repairs with services expected to resume soon.

According to the National Bureau of Statistics, Nigeria has experienced 188 train derailments from 2020 to 2025, making derailment the leading cause of railway accidents, due to factors such as poor maintenance, vandalism, weak security, and ageing infrastructure.

For context, a point machine is a device that remotely operates railway switches by moving and locking track blades to guide trains safely; modern systems include sensors to verify blade positions.

This comprehensive update reassures safety measures while outlining ongoing challenges and government efforts to enhance rail infrastructure and security nationwide.

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