Warri-Itakpe Derailment: 4 Dead, 64 Injured – Opeifa Explains What Really Happened

Warri-Itakpe Derailment: 4 Dead, 64 Injured – Opeifa Explains What Really Happened

The Nigerian Railway Corporation has released a preliminary report indicating that a sudden wheel or bogie defect may have caused the June 8 train derailment in Delta State that killed four people and injured 64 others.

NIGERIA – The Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) has said that a “possible sudden development of a bogie or wheel defect” may have been the primary factor in the June 8, 2026 derailment of the Warri-Itakpe Train Service in Delta State. The corporation also identified the “possible manner of brake application” as a factor that may have contributed to the severity of the incident. However, the NRC stressed that both remain working hypotheses pending the conclusion of a comprehensive investigation. The NRC disclosed this in its preliminary report on the incident, which occurred at about 4:17 p.m. while the train was approaching the Outer Home signal of the Goodluck Jonathan Railway Station at kilometre 177, Owa-Oyibu, Agbor. “Based on the internal investigation carried out by the NRC inquiry team, preliminary observations indicate the possible sudden development of a bogie/wheel defect while en route. This observation is being investigated further as a potential primary factor in the derailment,” the NRC said in the report signed by its Managing Director, Kayode Opeifa. “A wheel defect of this nature may have generated abnormal wheel-rail interaction, excessive impact loading, and loss of running stability”.

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The train had departed Itakpe at noon with 482 people on board, comprising 442 passengers and 40 operational personnel. Five coaches, one locomotive, and a power car derailed, with three coaches and the power car overturning. The incident resulted in four confirmed deaths – three adults and one child – while 64 people sustained various injuries. Of those injured, 28 were treated and discharged at the Railway Hospital in Owa-Oyibu, while 36 others were taken to general hospitals in Owa-Oyibu, Owa-Alero, and Central Hospital, Agbor. Most of those admitted were discharged within 72 hours, though three people, including an NRC staff member who required surgery, remained under specialist medical care. All passengers were evacuated within two hours of the incident, with emergency response operations involving the Delta State Government, Nigeria Police Force, Federal Road Safety Corps, National Emergency Management Agency, and local authorities.

Importantly, the NRC inquiry team found that the railway points were intact and detected no evidence of track vandalism at the accident location. This distinguishes the June incident from two previous Warri-Itakpe accidents on November 1 and November 8, 2025, which were attributed to track vandalism. The NRC said the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) has commenced an independent investigation in line with statutory requirements, with the NRC fully cooperating with the process. The NSIB has recovered critical evidence from the accident scene, including witness statements, operational records, maintenance documentation, and technical data, which are undergoing detailed analysis. “The NSIB final report remains pending,” Opeifa stated.

The corporation said the track has been fully recovered and restored, while the locomotives are undergoing reconditioning. However, resumption of the Warri-Itakpe service would depend on the completion of a detailed track and equipment safety audit. The NRC’s preliminary report also recommended comprehensive inspections and safety audits of rolling stock, tracks, and railway infrastructure; strengthened maintenance and condition-monitoring programmes; updated operational procedures; and stronger enforcement of safety standards.

Warri-Itakpe Derailment: 4 Dead, 64 Injured – Opeifa Explains What Really Happened