Three persons, two officials of the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) and two passengers, lost their lives at the weekend when a cargo train from Ibadan to Kano lost control and crashed. The accident occurred at Jebba, a few metres after the main entrance of Jebba Paper Mill.
There was also a second crash a few metres to the River Niger Bridge at Jebba but there was no casualty recorded from that episode. Officials of the corporation told our correspondent that the two NRC officials were a male guard and a female employee identified simply as Janet.
It was learnt that the head and the leg of another victim had earlier been retrieved from the crash scene. A huge crane from the NRC was deployed to the scene to lift the three coaches which crashed.
The operation was still ongoing at press time. Officials of the corporation, at the scene, refused to make official comments because they were not authorised to speak with the press.
It was also learnt that the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Transport was on the way to the site but was yet to arrive at the time of filing this report. The second crash created a huge pile of trailers stranded on the ever-busy Ilorin-Jebba Road.
The gridlock stretched for about 12 kilometres, leaving road users stranded. The NRC Assistant Director in charge of Publicity in the corporation, Mr. Rauf Akinloye, said yesterday that four people died in the accident.
He told journalists that three other passengers sustained injuries. Akinloye said the victims’ bodies were deposited at the mortuary while those injured were discharged after receiving treatment.
The spokesman added the damaged tracks were being repaired in order to restore North-South services. He said the rear portion of the train that derailed led to the death of the four persons.
Akinloye, however, assured travellers of safety of lives and property while travelling on the trains despite the incident. Meanwhile, Kwara State Governor, Abdulfatah Ahmed, has commiserated with the families of those who died in the rail accident at Jebba in Moro Local Government Area. Ahmed, according to a statement issued by his Chief Press Secretary (CPS), Abdulwahab Oba, also wished the passengers who sustained injuries as a result of the accident speedy recovery.
The governor described the accident as painful and unfortunate because “rail transportation is one of the safest modes of travel”. Ahmed, therefore, called on the NRC management to investigate the immediate and remote causes of the accident with a view to preventing a reoccurrence.
Also, Senate President, Bukola Saraki, has expressed sadness over the train crash and commiserated with families of the deceased. Saraki also expressed sympathy with those who sustained injuries and prayed God to heal their wounds.
He also urged the NRC management to investigate the cause of the accident and immediately put in place a measure to prevent recurrence.
