NRC attributes Warri-Itakpe train derailment to wheel defect and brake application

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On 8 June, a Warri-Itakpe Train Service (WITS) derailment near the Goodluck Jonathan Railway Station in Agbor, Delta State, resulted in four deaths and 64 injuries among the 482 people on board. The Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) preliminary report identified a possible sudden wheel or bogie defect and the nature of brake application as the primary contributing factors, noting that track infrastructure remained intact with no evidence of vandalism. The incident involved the derailment of one locomotive, a power car, and five coaches, three of which overturned. The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) has launched an independent investigation, which remains ongoing.

Consequences

The NRC has recommended comprehensive safety audits and inspections of all rolling stock and railway infrastructure across its operational corridors before resuming service. Furthermore, the corporation has called for a shift toward more stringent maintenance and condition-monitoring programs, the replacement of obsolete operational procedures, and an increase in sustainable funding to support future railway modernization.

Sources

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