Three passengers have been confirmed dead following the derailment of the Warri–Itakpe Train Service (WITS) on Monday, the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) has said.
The incident occurred during operations along the Warri–Itakpe corridor, prompting an immediate emergency response from relevant authorities and rescue teams deployed to the scene.
In a statement issued by NRC Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Kayode Opeifa, the corporation confirmed the derailment and said efforts were underway to assist affected passengers and manage the situation.
“The Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) confirms that an incident involving the Warri–Itakpe Train Service (WITS) occurred today. Emergency response teams and relevant authorities are currently at the scene attending to the situation and providing necessary assistance,” the statement read.
The NRC added that it is closely monitoring developments and will release a detailed report once more information becomes available.
Authorities noted that passenger safety remains the top priority as recovery operations continue.
The derailment comes less than a month after the NRC temporarily suspended services on the Warri–Itakpe route for technical and operational assessments aimed at improving safety and reliability.
The railway corridor has experienced previous incidents, including a derailment in November 2025, which was attributed to vandalism. Earlier in August 2025, a separate Abuja–Kaduna train derailment also sparked public concern over rail safety in Nigeria.
The Senate has since indicated plans to investigate recurring derailments and the condition of national rail infrastructure.
A full investigation into the latest incident is expected to be launched.
