By Onilede Titi Faith
The Managing Director of the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC), Fidet Opeifa, has taken full responsibility for Tuesday’s train incident along the Abuja-Kaduna corridor.
Speaking on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief on Wednesday, Opeifa assured Nigerians that the matter would not be swept under the carpet, stressing the corporation’s commitment to safety.
“Beyond apologising to Nigerians, I want to say as the managing director and chief executive, I take full responsibility.
“When it comes to safety, there is no indifference. Once it happens, the chief executive must take responsibility. In this case, I am taking responsibility,” he stated.
Opeifa admitted the incident should not have occurred but said measures were being taken to prevent a recurrence.
He cited ongoing work on the Warri-Itakpe corridor, which was shut down three weeks ago for safety reasons, as part of wider efforts to strengthen rail operations.
The Abuja-Kaduna incident, which happened shortly after the train departed the Federal Capital Territory at about 11 a.m. en route to Kaduna, caused panic among passengers.
Eyewitnesses described the scene as chaotic, with commuters scrambling to safety as the train came to an abrupt halt.
