•Derailed train and Kayode Opeifa
The Managing Director of the Nigerian Railway Corporation, Kayode Opeifa, says he has taken full responsibility for the derailment of the Abuja-Kaduna train along the Kaduna corridor yesterday.
Opeifa, who spoke on Channels TV today, however, said the ongoing investigation into the incident would not be swept under the carpet.
“Let me say, beyond apologising to Nigeria, I want to say as the managing director and chief executive, I take full responsibility. And in the case of safety, there is no indifference.
“Once it happens, the chief executive must take responsibility. In this case, I am taking responsibility,” said Opeifa.
He, however, said that though the incident should not have happened, the NRC would ensure that there is no recurrence.
“I want to assure Nigerians that an incident like this is not expected, is not prayed for, should not be happening, but where it does, it is to bring out the best in us.
“And I assure Nigerians that just as we are doing currently on the Warri-Itakpe, which he (the analyst) also mentioned, we shut down the Warri-Itakpe (route) three weeks ago.
“I ordered the shutdown for safety reasons, and if you see the level of work the men have been doing on the track, cutting it off and replacing it is to make sure things like this don’t happen,” he added.
The incident occurred yesterday along the Kaduna corridor shortly after the train left Abuja at about 11 am, en route to Kaduna.
A passenger on board the train described the scene as chaotic, with people scrambling to safety.
