The Nigerian Senate has announced a full-scale investigation into the increasing number of train derailments and railway accidents across the country, citing growing concerns over passenger safety and infrastructure integrity.

In a resolution passed on Tuesday, lawmakers approved the establishment of an ad hoc committee tasked with probing the “persistent derailments of the country’s rail lines” and conducting a “comprehensive investigation” into their root causes.

Committee Details

• The committee will be chaired by Senator Adams Oshiomhole and has been given six weeks to complete its assignment and submit a detailed report to the upper chamber.
• It will hold public hearings to uncover the underlying factors behind the accidents, assess the condition of rail infrastructure, and scrutinize the quality of imported materials used in railway projects.
• The Senate also instructed the committee to review loans received from China for railway projects, amid rising concerns about accountability and the sustainability of foreign-funded infrastructure.

Immediate Directives
Lawmakers directed the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) to address technical faults responsible for recent derailments and to restore the rail system to full operational capacity.

The Senate’s actions followed a motion of urgent national importance by Senator Ede Dafinone, who highlighted the recent derailment on the Ujevwu–Itakpe line, calling for urgent rehabilitation and enhanced safety measures to protect passengers and safeguard national infrastructure.

Latest Incident: Warri–Itakpe Line
On Saturday evening, November 1, 2025, two of seven coaches on the Warri–Itakpe train derailed at Kilometre 212+8m in Agbor, Delta State, just four days after the line resumed operations following a suspension that began on August 2 due to technical faults.

The NRC confirmed that all passengers were safely evacuated, with no casualties or injuries reported. NRC Managing Director, Kayode Opeifa, attributed the derailment to suspected track vandalism and assured that recovery operations, supported by security personnel, were underway.

As a precaution, train services on the corridor have been temporarily suspended for a comprehensive safety and security audit of the track and related infrastructure.

Rail Safety Concerns

• The Warri–Itakpe route spans over 300 kilometres, making it the longest of Nigeria’s three modern train services, alongside Lagos–Ibadan and Abuja–Kaduna lines.
• Data from the National Bureau of Statistics indicates that more than 188 rail-related incidents occurred between 2020 and 2025, many linked to vandalism by scavengers and organized criminal syndicates.

The Senate’s investigation is expected to provide critical recommendations to improve safety, enhance infrastructure maintenance, and prevent future derailments on Nigeria’s railways.