NRC Apologizes Delay Of Abuja–Kaduna Train Service Over Safety Concerns

 

OLORUNDARE ENIMOLA, Lagos 

The Management of the Nigerian Railway Corporation has apologized to all passengers on the afternoon belt of the Abuja–Kaduna Train Service (AKTS) over the delay they experienced following a procedural safety decision to change the backup engine that lost power moments after the train departed.

The Managing Director of the Corporation, Dr. Kayode Opeifa, described as misleading the report which indicated that passengers on the train were stranded by the Corporation.

He said the Corporation’s premium on safety at all times informed the decision for the train to return to Kaduna the moment it was discovered that the backup engine was losing power.

“Though the train can push through, but for security concerns on the route and since they were less than 30 minutes into the journey, it was advisable to pull back to Rigasa, Kaduna for safety reasons,” Dr. Opeifa said.

The journey resumed at 4:00 p.m. (60 minutes after) and arrived Idu at 18:52 hours, eighty minutes behind schedule. Passengers were kept informed through the Public Address Systems (PAS) on the train and at the Rigasa Station.

He likened what happened to an aircraft that proceeds to the nearest airport rather than its destination when one or both engines fail, adding that if it was a morning trip, the train would have proceeded and shunted at the nearest train stations (Jere, Rijana, or Gidan), but decided against it because it was an evening trip.

The Managing Director apologized for the inconveniences experienced by the passengers, even as he urged the nation’s media houses to always clarify any reports before rushing to publish, to avoid misinforming their critical readers.

The Managing Director reassured passengers and stakeholders that the NRC remains committed to maintaining the highest standards of safety and reliability across all its legacy corridors, whether the narrow or standard gauges, adding that the Corporation remains committed to taking all its esteemed 

passengers to their destinations safely.