THE House of Representatives Committee on Land Transport has given the Minister of Transportation, Sa’idu Ahmed Alkali, 48 hours to appear before it in connection with the recent derailment of a Kaduna-bound train carrying 618 passengers.
News Point Nigeria reports that the ultimatum came on Tuesday after the Minister failed to attend an investigative hearing into the near-tragic incident, prompting outrage among lawmakers who described his absence as “an affront to the Nigerian people.”
Committee Chairperson, Hon. Blessing Onuh, expressed deep frustration over Alkali’s non-appearance, warning that his conduct was both disrespectful to parliament and insensitive to Nigerians who narrowly escaped disaster.
“A toad does not run in the daytime for nothing. We are on recess, but many of us cut our break and came all the way from Lagos because of this national tragedy, only for the Minister to snub the parliament.
“We take strong exception to this. Our brothers and sisters were endangered. This is not a joke. We are therefore suspending this meeting and mandating the Minister to appear in person within 48 hours,” she declared.
Deputy Spokesman of the House, Hon. Philip Agbese, went further, calling the Minister’s absence a reflection of incompetence and disregard for citizens.
“This action clearly shows he is not competent to handle the job entrusted to him by the President. It is a dangerous signal that he does not care about the lives of Nigerians or the reputation of this government.
“The President has warned that no Minister or agency head should ignore parliament. This Minister has chosen contempt. If he fails to show up, Nigerians should know there is effectively no Minister of Transportation in this country,” he fumed.
Another committee member, Hon. Cyril Hart, expressed disappointment that Alkali—himself a former lawmaker—would disregard an invitation from the House.
“Over 618 Nigerians could have died. This raises serious questions about the integrity of our rail infrastructure. For a former lawmaker to shun this committee when Nigerians need answers is a betrayal.
“Even the Railway MD once sought to be part of this parliament, so he knows the respect due to it. We cannot allow anyone to toy with the lives of our people,” Hart said.
The committee resolved to suspend its hearing until the Minister appears in person, warning that continued disregard for parliament would be reported directly to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
The lawmakers also stressed that the Kaduna derailment underscores urgent questions about the safety of Nigeria’s rail system, the effectiveness of maintenance protocols, and the accountability of those managing transport infrastructure.