The Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) has hinted that a significant disruption occurred on the Warri-Itakpe rail line on Tuesday, April 9, 2025, due to multiple technical issues involving a train engine failure.
To this end, the management has consequently suspended train services on the route for 72 hours.
The disruption, it said commenced at approximately 1:38 PM and affected both the 8:00 AM departure from Warri and the 2:00 PM train from Itakpe.
Emergency recovery protocols were immediately activated but also suffered a setback due to engine failures.
A statement made available to Journalists Thursday by the Public Relations Officer, NRC, Henrietta Eregare, read: “Following the incident, NRC swiftly arranged for the safe evacuation of all passengers via road transport with adequate security presence.
“Passengers were guided off the affected train to waiting cars approximately 500 meters from the track. Some Passengers chose to arrange their own transportation before the arrival of official recovery vehicles—a decision NRC understands given the delay.
“In view of the situation, the NRC has suspended operations on the Warri-Itakpe route for 72 hours. This pause will allow our technical team to conduct a full audit, resolve all identified issues, and restore safe and reliable service.”
The statement further added that Ticket Refund and Revalidation Policy ensured that all passengers with tickets for the affected services are eligible for a full refund or revalidation for future travel, based on their preference.
“Detailed information on refund and revalidation process is available on our online ticketing platforms, via our customer service lines, and at all NRC stations.
“We deeply regret the inconvenience caused by this unexpected disruption. The Nigerian Railway Corporation takes full responsibility and is actively working to restore normal operations as quickly as possible. We remain committed to the safety, reliability, and comfort of our passengers.
“We sincerely appreciate the patience, understanding, and continued support of the public during this time,” NRC said.
