Three persons have been confirmed dead following the derailment of a train on the Warri–Itakpe rail corridor in Agbor, Delta State, in what has again raised fresh concerns over safety standards on Nigeria’s rail infrastructure.
Key Highlights:
- Three people died after the Warri–Itakpe train derailed in Agbor, Delta State.
- The Presidency confirmed the deaths and said all passengers were accounted for.
- Emergency teams carried out rescue and evacuation operations.
- Authorities have begun investigations into the cause of the accident.
- The incident has raised fresh concerns about rail safety in Nigeria.
The incident, which occurred on Monday, involved the Warri–Itakpe Train Service (WITS), one of the country’s key standard-gauge rail operations linking parts of Delta, Edo and Kogi States.
The derailment triggered panic among passengers and disrupted movement along the busy corridor.
The federal government, through a statement issued from the Presidency’s verified X account, confirmed the fatalities late Monday, hours after the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) acknowledged that an incident had occurred but initially withheld casualty figures.
“Sadly, three fatalities have been confirmed at this time,” the statement said, adding that emergency response teams were immediately deployed to the scene.
According to the government, all passengers on board the affected train have now been accounted for, while rescue and evacuation operations were activated immediately after the derailment.
Authorities said investigations were ongoing to determine the cause of the accident, while insisting that support was being provided to survivors and families of the deceased.
“Relevant authorities continue to assess the full circumstances surrounding the incident, while support is being provided to affected passengers,” the Presidency added.
The NRC, in its earlier statement signed by its Managing Director, Kayode Opeifa, confirmed that emergency teams had been dispatched but did not disclose details on casualties or the extent of damage at the time.
Officials said personnel were working at the scene to provide assistance and gather preliminary facts, describing the situation as an “incident” pending full assessment.
The Warri–Itakpe line, commissioned as part of Nigeria’s modern rail expansion programme, has remained one of the most heavily patronised routes for commuters travelling across the South-South and North-Central regions.
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However, Monday’s derailment is likely to intensify scrutiny of operational safety, maintenance protocols, and emergency preparedness along the corridor, which has in the past experienced intermittent service disruptions.
As of press time, authorities had not released details on what caused the derailment, nor indicated whether technical fault, human error, or track failure was responsible.
Investigations are expected to continue in the coming days as pressure mounts on the railway authorities to provide clarity on yet another rail safety incident in the country.
