By Deborah Coker
Sen. Ned Nwoko (APC-Delta) has expressed sadness over the tragic derailment of the Warri–Itakpe Train Service (WITS) which claimed the lives of passengers and left several others injured.
This is contained in a statement by Nwoko and made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Tuesday.
NAN recalls that the Warri to Itakpe bound train derailed at the Agbor corridor in Delta on Monday.
Nwoko, who represents Delta North Senatorial District, commiserated with families of those who lost their lives, describing the incident as deeply painful and avoidable.
He also extended his sympathies to all victims affected by the accident and assured that he would continue to monitor developments closely and support all efforts aimed at assisting victims and preventing a recurrence.
Nwoko, however, raised serious concerns over what he described as systemic lapses in rail safety management, particularly with regard to track maintenance and monitoring.
He noted that track integrity along the Warri–Itakpe corridor had not been treated with the level of continuous risk assessment required for such a critical transport route.
According to him, the line runs through flood-prone and erosion-prone terrain, especially around Agbor and other parts of Delta, where soil instability and waterlogging have long been known challenges.
He emphasised that addressing these risks required more than periodic inspections, and called for the adoption of modern safety measures such as regular ultrasonic testing of rail tracks and installation of track-side monitoring sensors capable of detecting structural weaknesses in real time.
”Such systems are standard in functional rail networks globally and must be urgently integrated into Nigeria’s rail infrastructure to prevent future tragedies.”
The senator further noted that the incident occurred barely weeks after the temporary suspension of operations on the same corridor for technical assessment, raising concerns about the adequacy and implementation of those safety checks.
‘He, therefore, urged the NRC and relevant authorities to carry out a thorough and transparent investigation into the immediate and underlying causes of the derailment.
He commended the swift response of emergency services and security agencies, while also reaffirming his commitment to the safety and welfare of his constituents and all Nigerians who relied on the nation’s rail system.
He called for sustained investments in rail safety, stricter oversight, and a shift from reactive measures to proactive, technology-driven monitoring of rail infrastructure.
(NAN)