The Nigeria Railway Corporation (NRC) has temporarily suspended train operations on the Warri-Itakpe route for 72 hours, starting Thursday, following an engine failure that disrupted service.
In a statement issued by its acting spokesperson, Henrietta Eregare, the NRC said the disruption occurred at around 1:38 p.m. and affected the 8:00 a.m. train from Warri and the 2:00 p.m. service from Itakpe.
“Emergency recovery protocols were activated immediately, but also encountered setbacks due to further engine issues,” the statement noted.
All passengers were safely evacuated with the assistance of road transport and security personnel. The NRC reported that travelers were guided approximately 500 metres from the affected train to waiting vehicles. Some passengers, however, opted to arrange their own transportation before official recovery vehicles arrived—an action the NRC said it understands, given the delay.
“To ensure a full technical review and address all identified faults, train services on the route have been suspended for 72 hours,” the corporation stated. “This will allow our technical team to carry out a thorough system audit and restore safe, reliable operations.”
The NRC also assured affected passengers that they are eligible for a full fare refund or can reschedule their trips at no extra cost, depending on their preference.
