The Kogi State Police Command has confirmed that all passengers aboard a Warri–Itakpe train were safely evacuated after the train derailed in Adogo community, Ajaokuta Local Government Area of Kogi State.
Police Public Relations Officer, CSP William Ovye-Aya, who confirmed the incident on Sunday in Lokoja, said the passengers were promptly rescued and taken to the Ajaokuta train station before being assisted to continue their journey. He emphasized that no casualties were recorded.
Ovye-Aya said the police responded immediately after receiving a distress call about the derailment. According to him, the Commissioner of Police, CP Naziru Kankarofi, swiftly deployed officers to the scene to ensure the safety and security of the stranded passengers.
He added that the Commissioner personally visited the site on Sunday for an on-the-spot assessment, where he met with officials of the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) and some affected passengers. “He also directed the deployment of additional security personnel to safeguard lives, property, and railway facilities,” Ovye-Aya stated.
The Kogi Police Command reiterated its commitment to working closely with other security agencies to ensure the safety of passengers and railway infrastructure in the state.
The derailment occurred barely a week after the Nigerian Railway Corporation resumed operations on the Warri–Itakpe Train Service (WITS), following an earlier derailment in Agbor, Delta State, that temporarily halted service.
Last week, NRC Managing Director, Kayode Opeifa, announced that the train service had resumed after successful repairs and a thorough safety inspection of the affected section.
Opeifa also confirmed the arrest of two suspected vandals linked to the removal of track clips and fasteners believed to have caused the Agbor derailment.
“The suspects, two male, aged 27 and 39, were apprehended around kilometre 208 before Abraka, Delta State, on November 4, by operatives of the NRC Police Command in collaboration with local security agents. Preliminary investigations and their confessional statements revealed their direct involvement in tampering with vital components of the rail track,” Opeifa said.
He commended the prompt intervention of railway police and community security networks, adding that the suspects would face prosecution for sabotaging national infrastructure and endangering public safety.
