Warri-Itakpe corridor safe, NRC assures Nigerians
Agency Report
The Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) has assured passengers of the safety of its rail tracks and train services along the busy Warri-Itakpe corridor following what the management described as misleading social media video clips warning passengers of the danger of travelling on the route.
The widely circulated social media message warning the public to avoid train travel, particularly along Warri – Itakpe rail corridor was accompanied by a short video showing removed rail clips, the NRC said falsely claiming that rail transport is currently unsafe and urging passengers to cancel travel plans.
In an electronic statement, the NRC said “We wish to categorically state that this information is misleading and unfounded. The identified incident involving the temporary removal of some rail clips at a specific location on the corridor was promptly detected during routine inspection and was immediately rectified by our maintenance team.”
It said “All necessary safety and operational protocols were strictly followed to ensure that no threat was posed to passengers or the integrity of the train operations. Indeed, the Warri-Itakpe train (WITS) has successfully passed through the affected section without any incident, further confirming the safety of the route.”
“The NRC remains committed to the highest standards of safety and security in all our operations. Our tracks and rolling stock are under constant surveillance and maintenance and our personnel are fully equipped to address any issues that may arise in real time.
“We therefore urge the public to disregard the viral message and continue to use our train services with full confidence. Any attempt to spread fear or discourage the use of Rail transport undermines the progress being made in the sector and should be condemned.”
It reiterated that “Train services on the Warri-Itakpe corridors and all other NRC corridors remain safe, reliable and fully operational.”
