NRC evacuates  stranded passengers

BARELY a month after no fewer than 20 passengers were abducted from a train station in Igueben, Edo State, the same train plying the Warri-Itakpe route derailed yesterday, leaving many of the passengers stranded.

According to sources in the train, the incident happened inside Kogi forest, with many of the passengers said to have abandoned the train for fear of being taken hostage.

The Delta and Kogi State police commands could not immediately confirm the incident but the Manager, Warri/Itakpe railway, told our correspondent he was just on his way to the scene and would give the details later.

According to a staff of the Nigerian Railway Corporation at the Itakpe Station, the incident took place at about 20 km from the destination of the train.

The source also said some of the NRC workers got vehicles that evacuated the passengers from the forest where the incident took place.

“The place is not far from the last bus stop, so some of our staff members called a cab from the station at Itakpe to evacuate all of them.  It’s not far, just 20km from the incident scene. Nobody was injured,” he said.

Efforts to reach the Director General of Nigerian Railway Corporation, NRC, proved abortive as he did take calls or reply to text messages sent by our correspondent at press time.

Reacting to the derailment yesterday, the Co-ordinator of the Warri Itakpe Train Service, Mr. Sanni Abdulganiyu,   in a statement said thankfully there were no    fatality nor casualty as a result of the derailment.

Abdulganiyu said the corporation was immediately alerted and security personnel were immediately drafted to the accident scene.

“ The personnel comprised the Army, Police, NSCDC, and the community vigilante with the assistance of the local government chairman.

“All the 148 passengers and 30 crew members were evacuated to a safe place and arrangements were made to convey the passengers to their various destinations.  And the passengers have been successfully conveyed.

On the cause of the derailment, the coordinator said it was yet to be determined.

Abdulganiyu said due to the incident, the service along the corridor had been suspended and further details would be communicated to members of the public.

According to him, repair and operation will resume as soon as possible.