The Federal Government has assured Nigerians that the damaged tracks on the Abuja–Kaduna rail corridor will be restored within ten days.
The Minister of Transportation, Senator Said Alkali, gave the assurance on Monday after inspecting the ongoing repairs following the derailment of a passenger train on August 26.
Alkali commended security agencies, railway staff, and other stakeholders for their efforts in ensuring the safety of passengers, workers, and train facilities since the incident. He said personnel of the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) had been working round the clock to clear and repair the affected section of the track.
Read Also:
Malami’s Convoy Attacked in Kebbi
“Let me start by thanking President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his support since the incident happened. He has given us the backing needed to move the locomotive and coaches and to fix the rail line so that operations can resume,” the minister said.
According to him, the derailment occurred at a section of the track where two lines intersect, but he stressed that investigations are still ongoing to determine the actual cause. He noted that a technical team from the ministry, engineers from NRC, representatives of CCECC, civil rights organisations, and an investigative committee were all on site to ensure transparency in the process.
Alkali disclosed that the affected locomotive was pulling eight coaches at the time of the incident. Four have so far been successfully removed from the scene, while efforts are underway to lift the remaining coaches and repair the damaged infrastructure.
“In the next 48 hours, we will move all the remaining coaches from the site. If weather conditions permit, within the next 10 days we will restore the line,” he said.
He added that the damaged portion covered about 150 meters, which would be fixed with new sleepers, pallets, and tracks to restore normal operations.
On measures to prevent future derailments, the minister said the outcome of the investigation would guide necessary steps but assured Nigerians that government would do everything possible to avoid a recurrence.
