The Nigerian Railway Corporation has confirmed a serious train accident involving the Warri–Itakpe Train Service (WITS) corridor at Agbor, Delta State, on Monday. Three passengers have been confirmed dead following the derailment. “Sadly, three fatalities have been confirmed at this time,” the Presidency stated on its X handle while offering condolences to victims and their families.
NRC Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Kayode Opeifa, said emergency response teams and relevant authorities were immediately deployed to the scene to provide assistance and assess 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,” Opeifa said in a statement. He added that the corporation is closely monitoring developments and will issue a detailed statement as more information becomes available.
According to the NRC, four coaches left the rail track during the incident, an occurrence referred to in railway operations as a derailment. At least four coaches reportedly capsized during the incident. Rescue and emergency response operations were immediately activated and all passengers on board have now been accounted for. Support is being provided to affected passengers while relevant authorities continue to assess the full circumstances surrounding the incident.
The cause of the derailment had yet to be officially disclosed as of the time of filing this report. The NRC urged members of the public to remain calm and rely only on verified information and official updates from the Nigerian Railway Corporation as investigations and response efforts continue.
The incident occurred barely a month after the Nigerian Railway Corporation temporarily suspended operations on the Warri–Itakpe Train Service, citing operational exigencies and technical recommendations from its engineers. The corporation had said the suspension was necessary to enable critical operational assessments aimed at ensuring continued safety, reliability, and improved service delivery along the corridor.
The Warri–Itakpe rail corridor is one of Nigeria’s major standard-gauge railway routes, linking Delta State to Kogi State and serving passengers and freight operators along the route. It connects communities across Delta, Edo and Kogi states and serves thousands of passengers and businesses along the corridor.
