SOME passengers on a train travelling from Itakpe to Warri were rescued following the derailment of the train in Kogi State on Saturday, which had left them stranded for several hours before security operatives evacuated them to safety.
The Police Public Relations Officer of the Kogi Command, CSP William Ovye-Aya, confirmed the incident to News Point Nigeria late on Sunday in Lokoja.
He said that the incident occurred around 4:30 pm at Adogo community in Ajaokuta Local Government Area of the state.
Ovye-Aya said that upon receiving a distress call, the Commissioner of Police, CP Naziru Kankarofi, immediately deployed officers and men to the scene to provide security cover for the affected passengers.
“The CP personally visited the Adogo derailment site on Sunday for an on-the-spot assessment. He met with officials of the Nigerian Railway Corporation and the stranded passengers.
“He also directed the deployment of additional security personnel to safeguard the people and facilities,” Ovye-Aya said.
The Command’s spokesperson said that all passengers were safely evacuated to the Ajaokuta station and later assisted to continue to their respective destinations without any casualty.
He quoted the Commissioner as reiterating the Command’s commitment to working closely with other security agencies to ensure the safety of lives and property in the state.
PUNCH Online reported on November 5 that the Senate resolved to set up an ad hoc committee to investigate the recurring derailments on the nation’s rail lines and assess the integrity of Nigeria’s railway infrastructure.
The committee, to be chaired by Senator Adams Oshiomhole, is expected to conduct a thorough probe, including a public hearing, into the causes of the frequent derailments, the quality of materials used, and the state of imported rail components.
Lawmakers also mandated the Nigerian Railway Corporation to immediately fix the technical faults responsible for the incidents and restore full operational capacity across the rail network.
