Panic As Warri–Itakpe Train Derails Just Three Days After Service Resumption

According to Ireporter Online, operations on the Warri–Itakpe Standard Gauge line suffered a major setback on Saturday night after a train derailed—barely three days after service resumed on the route. The incident has reignited public anxiety over rail safety and persistent vandalism across Nigeria’s railway corridors.

The Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) confirmed that the derailment occurred around 7:30 p.m. at Kilometre 212+8m near Agbor, involving two of the seven coaches in motion at the time. In a statement issued on Sunday, the NRC’s Managing Director, Kayode Opeifa, attributed the mishap to suspected acts of track vandalism.

Opeifa disclosed that preliminary investigations indicated deliberate tampering with portions of the rail line, which may have caused the train to veer off track. “We wish to inform the public that a train derailment incident occurred at approximately 19:30 hours, involving two out of the seven coaches of our Warri–Itakpe Standard Gauge service. Initial findings suggest suspected track vandalism,” he said.

The NRC boss confirmed that all passengers were safely evacuated to Agbor without any reported injuries or fatalities. He assured that a recovery team, supported by security operatives, had been deployed to the scene since Saturday night to retrieve the affected coaches and restore the track. “Recovery efforts are ongoing and expected to be completed soon,” he added.

As part of its safety response, the NRC announced a temporary suspension of all train services on the Warri–Itakpe corridor pending a full security and safety audit. “As a precautionary measure, train operations have been halted to enable a comprehensive inspection of the track and related infrastructure,” the agency said, apologising for the inconvenience caused to passengers.

The derailment comes as a major blow to the NRC, which had only resumed operations on October 29 after several months of suspension to carry out “urgent and critical track repairs” due to widespread theft of rail infrastructure. The agency had earlier assured commuters that the route had been fully rehabilitated and reinforced against further vandalism.

This latest mishap adds to a troubling pattern of railway incidents nationwide. Only two months ago, a similar derailment occurred along the Abuja–Kaduna line, injuring several passengers. Earlier this year, another train carrying 618 passengers and crew derailed mid-journey, leaving seven passengers hospitalised.

Despite the federal government’s efforts to revitalise Nigeria’s railway network, including the launch of intra-state electric rail services in Lagos, inter-state routes such as Warri–Itakpe, Abuja–Kaduna, and Lagos–Ibadan remain prone to technical faults, vandalism, and other operational challenges.