Updated: Senator Dafinone, ex-Delta SSG Assisted Rescue Efforts, Not Aboard Crashed Train — NRC

Updated: Senator Dafinone, ex-Delta SSG Assisted Rescue Efforts, Not Aboard Crashed Train — NRC

 

The Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) said Senator Ede Dafinone and former Delta State Secretary to the State Government, Patrick Ukah, were not among the passengers on board the Warri–Itakpe train that derailed near Agbor, Delta State, on Monday.

The clarification followed an earlier statement by the Federal Ministry of Transportation which listed the Delta Central senator and the former SSG among the 482 occupants of the train involved in the accident.

In a statement issued Tuesday, the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Transportation, Funsho Adebiyi, identified Dafinone and Ukah as notable passengers on the train when the accident occurred on Monday.

But the NRC swiftly refuted the claim, insisting that neither Dafinone nor Ukah travelled on the ill-fated train.

According to the corporation, both men arrived after the incident and played key roles in coordinating emergency response and rescue efforts.

“The Nigerian Railway Corporation wishes to clarify that contrary to an earlier statement, Senator Ede Dafinone, representing Delta Central Senatorial District, and former Secretary to the Delta State Government, Hon. Patrick Ukah, were not passengers on board the Warri–Itakpe Train Service involved in the accident near Agbor,” the NRC said in a statement signed by its Managing Director,  Dr. Kayode Opeifa.

“Both distinguished individuals rather greatly assisted in the mobilisation of first responders and other emergency personnel who participated in the rescue operations following the incident,” the statement added.

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The corporation expressed regret over the error and apologised for any embarrassment caused to the two prominent Delta figures, while commending their swift intervention during the rescue operation.

Beyond the disagreement over the passenger list, there were also discrepancies in casualty figures.

While the Ministry of Transportation reported that four people — two adult women, one adult man and an infant — lost their lives in the accident, the NRC had earlier announced that three passengers died in the derailment.

According to the ministry, the train carried a total of 482 persons, comprising 442 ticketed passengers and 40 crew members, security personnel and third-party service providers.

It added that 24 passengers sustained serious injuries, while several others suffered varying degrees of injuries and are receiving treatment in medical facilities around Agbor.

Adebiyi said emergency rescue operations involving the Delta State Government, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), the Nigeria Police Force, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and other responders were immediately activated and concluded by about 6:30 p.m. on Monday.

The ministry and the NRC said investigations have commenced to determine the cause of the derailment, one of the most serious accidents recorded on the strategic rail corridor in recent years.

The incident comes barely weeks after the NRC suspended operations on the Warri–Itakpe route for 72 hours following a major technical disruption that stranded passengers for several hours, raising concerns about safety, maintenance standards and emergency response preparedness on the line.

Meanwhile, the House of Representatives has launched an investigation into the accident and is seeking compensation for affected passengers.

The resolution followed a motion sponsored by the Chairman of the House Committee on Rules and Business, Francis Waive, who described the Warri–Itakpe corridor as a critical transportation link connecting Delta, Edo and Kogi states.