NRC Suspends Warri–Itakpe Train Service Again After Coaches Derail in Delta

Barely three days after resuming operations, the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) has once again suspended the Warri–Itakpe Train Service (WITS) following a derailment involving two coaches near Agbor, Delta State, on Saturday evening prompting the immediate suspension of activities.

According to a statement issued on Sunday by the NRC’s Managing Director, Dr. Kayode Opeifa, the incident occurred at approximately 7:30 p.m., with no casualties or injuries recorded. All passengers on board were safely evacuated and accounted for.

“The derailment involved two out of seven coaches of our Warri–Itakpe Train Service. Preliminary investigations indicate that the incident may have been caused by suspected track vandalism,” the statement read.

Opeifa disclosed that a recovery team, supported by security personnel, was immediately deployed to the site to assess the damage and restore the track.

“Our recovery team has been at the site since last night carrying out recovery operations. These efforts are progressing steadily and are expected to be completed soon,” the NRC boss said.

As a precautionary measure, the NRC said it has temporarily suspended train services along the corridor to enable a comprehensive security and safety audit of the track and related infrastructure.

“We sincerely regret any inconvenience this may cause our valued passengers and the general public. Normal operations will resume as soon as it is verified safe to do so,” the statement added.

The derailment occurred barely three days after the NRC resumed operations on the Warri–Itakpe route, which had been suspended for three months for maintenance and safety checks following previous technical challenges.

The Warri–Itakpe rail line, which connects parts of Delta, Edo, and Kogi states, has faced multiple disruptions in recent years, raising concerns about the security of rail infrastructure and vandalism of critical assets along the corridor.