The House of Representatives Committee on Land Transport is set to invite the Nigerian Railway Corporation and officials of the China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation for questioning over the recent derailment of a Kaduna-bound train from Abuja, which left about seven persons injured.
Recall that on Tuesday, August 26, 2025, a Kaduna-bound train consisting of 10 coaches derailed off the rail tracks, causing anxiety over the passengers’ safety.
The incident drew widespread criticism from Nigerians who raised questions bordering on poor maintenance culture, even as the nation awaits the formal announcement of the cause of the tragic incident.
Speaking exclusively with The PUNCH on Monday, the Chairman of the House Committee on Land Transport, Blessing Onuh, decried the frequent train incidents across the various corridors, describing them as embarrassing and unacceptable.
Onuh, who represents Ohimini/Otukpo Federal Constituency, Benue State, on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), said the committee would rise to its responsibility and demand answers on behalf of millions of Nigerians.
She said, “The train derailment on Tuesday was unfortunate, and to the glory of God, no life was lost. But how long shall we continue to tolerate these avoidable situations? Rail transportation remains the safest means of movement across the world. In most countries, you won’t hear of train mishaps for decades. Why is ours, which is a few years old, different? These incidents are becoming too frequent, and we cannot fold our hands and do nothing about this.
“The Committee on Land Transport will, in the next few days, invite the Nigerian Railway Corporation, the contractor that handled the projects, and other relevant stakeholders. We want to hear from them and get assurances that this will not happen again.
“More importantly, we want to know what they are putting in place to enhance safety and deliver top-notch services to our esteemed passengers. Enough is enough! We must get to the root of this and fix whatever needs to be fixed.”
The federal lawmaker, on behalf of the committee and the House of Representatives, commiserated with the victims of the accident and assured them of the committee’s commitment to ensuring safety and security. She further charged the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau to expedite action on its ongoing investigation of the incident and recommend measures to forestall a recurrence.
“Our prayers and love are with the victims and families of those involved in the crash. We will do everything possible to ensure that rail transportation remains safe for Nigerians across all the corridors. We call on the NSIB to leave no stone unturned in turning in its report as soon as possible,” Onuh added.
