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Transport Minister pledges swift repair of damaged tracks
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NRC staff working round the clock to clear accident site
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Safety assurances as investigation into derailment continues
The Federal Government has announced that train services along the Abuja-Kaduna rail corridor will resume within ten days, following last week’s derailment that disrupted operations and raised renewed concerns about passenger safety.
Minister of Transportation, Said Ahmed Alkali, gave the assurance on Monday after inspecting the accident site, where engineers and security agencies were engaged in clearing the wreckage and repairing the damaged infrastructure. He explained that technical teams were focused on replacing sleepers, pallets and rail lines to allow operations to restart promptly.
“We will be able to fix the sleepers, the pallets and the rail track so that we will be back to operation. It is a cardinal responsibility of government to provide welfare for its citizens,” Alkali said.
He praised the efforts of security agencies, the Nigeria Railway Corporation (NRC) staff and contractors for their round-the-clock commitment to restoring normalcy. According to him, four of the eight derailed coaches had already been removed from the scene, with heavy equipment brought in to facilitate the recovery.
The minister expressed gratitude to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his support since the incident, noting that federal backing had expedited the emergency response.
READ ALSO: FG Rules Out Sabotage in Abuja–Kaduna Train Derailment, Says Probe Ongoing
He also commended the leadership of the NRC and the China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC) for their cooperation during the ongoing operation.
Alkali disclosed that the derailment occurred at an interchange where two trains usually cross paths, but declined to speculate on the cause.
“I am not in a position now to pre-empt the investigation, to say why the incident happened,” he stated, stressing that the findings of the inquiry would determine the next course of action.
