The Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) has announced the temporary suspension of operations on the Warri-Itakpe rail corridor following a major disruption caused by “multiple technical issues involving a train engine failure.”
According to a statement released on Thursday, April 10, 2025, the disruption occurred a day earlier—Tuesday, April 9—at approximately 1:38 PM, affecting both the 8:00 AM departure from Warri and the 2:00 PM train from Itakpe. In the words of the Corporation, “emergency recovery protocols were immediately activated but also suffered a setback due to engine failures.”
In response to the incident, NRC stated that it swiftly mobilised efforts to ensure passenger safety and onward movement:
“Following the incident, NRC swiftly arranged for the safe evacuation of all passengers via road transport with adequate security presence. Passengers were guided off the affected train to waiting cars approximately 500 meters from the track.”
Some passengers, it was acknowledged, opted to find their own transportation due to delays in recovery:
“Some passengers chose to arrange their own transportation before the arrival of official recovery vehicles—a decision NRC understands given the delay.”
As part of its response measures, the Corporation has now suspended train operations on the Warri-Itakpe corridor for 72 hours.
“This pause will allow our technical team to conduct a full audit, resolve all identified issues, and restore safe and reliable service,” the statement noted.
Ticket Refunds and Revalidation Options
All affected passengers are entitled to full refunds or ticket revalidation for future trips:
“All passengers with tickets for the affected services are eligible for a full refund or revalidation for future travel, based on their preference. Detailed information on the refund and revalidation process is available on our online ticketing platforms, via our customer service lines, and at all NRC stations.”
NRC’s Assurance
The NRC expressed sincere regret over the disruption and reaffirmed its commitment to passenger safety and service excellence:
“We deeply regret the inconvenience caused by this unexpected disruption. The Nigerian Railway Corporation takes full responsibility and is actively working to restore normal operations as quickly as possible.”
“We remain committed to the safety, reliability, and comfort of our passengers. We sincerely appreciate the patience, understanding, and continued support of the public during this time.”
