The Federal Ministry of Transportation and the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) have expressed profound regret over the train accident that occurred on the Warri–Itakpe Train Service (WITS) corridor near Agbor, Delta State. The incident resulted in the tragic loss of five lives and left numerous passengers injured.
According to preliminary reports, four coaches capsized while one coach derailed during the incident on Monday. The accident claimed the lives of five persons, comprising four adults and one infant. A total of 442 passengers had booked the train, while 40 crew members, security personnel, and third-party service providers were on board, bringing the total number of occupants to 482.
Funsho Adebiyi, Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Transportation, described the incident as tragic and extended condolences to the affected families. “The Ministry and the NRC extend their deepest condolences to the families of the deceased and pray for the quick recovery of all those injured. We also appreciate the swift intervention of the Delta State Government, emergency responders, security agencies, medical personnel, and members of the public who assisted in the rescue efforts,” Adebiyi said.
He disclosed that rescue and evacuation operations were immediately activated with the support of the Delta State Government, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), the Nigeria Police Force, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), local authorities, and other emergency responders. The evacuation exercise was completed by about 6:30 p.m. on the day of the accident.
Other notable contributors to the rescue effort included Senator Ede Dafinone and former Delta State Secretary to the State Government, Patrick Ukah. Adebiyi said 24 passengers sustained serious injuries, while several others suffered varying degrees of injuries and are currently receiving medical treatment. He added that one NRC staff member suffered a traumatic limb injury but is in stable condition.
“The full onboard manifest has been retrieved and will be made available to relevant authorities upon request. Efforts are ongoing to identify all injured persons and the deceased for proper documentation,” he stated. The Permanent Secretary further disclosed that a comprehensive investigation into the cause of the accident has commenced, while efforts continue to account for all passengers and provide necessary support to victims and their families.
The Ministry and the NRC assured the public of their commitment to ensuring passenger safety and transparency throughout the investigation process.
