The Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) has suspended train services indefinitely along the Warri–Itakpe corridor following a derailment incident on Saturday evening in Agbor, Delta State.

The corporation said the suspension would allow for a comprehensive safety and security audit of the affected track and infrastructure.

In a statement issued by the Managing Director, Dr. Kayode Opeifa, the derailment occurred at about 7:30 p.m. and involved two of the seven coaches of the Warri–Itakpe Train Service (WITS).

“Preliminary investigations indicate that the incident may have been caused by suspected track vandalism,” the statement read.
“All passengers on board were safely evacuated to Agbor, and everyone has been fully accounted for. No casualties or injuries were recorded.”

Opeifa said NRC’s recovery team, supported by security operatives, had been on-site since Saturday night and that recovery operations were progressing steadily.

“As a precautionary measure, train services on the corridor have been temporarily suspended to enable a comprehensive security and safety audit of the track and related infrastructure,” he added.

The derailment happened just four days after the resumption of train operations on the route on October 29, following several weeks of suspension.

The NRC expressed regret over the disruption and assured passengers that services would resume only after the line has been certified safe for use.