By Muhyideen Jimoh

‎Minister of Transportation, Saidu Alkali, has dismissed claims of sabotage in the recent Abuja-Kaduna train derailment, reaffirming the Federal Government’s commitment to the safety and security of rail operations nationwide.

Speaking to State House correspondents in Abuja alongside the Managing Director of the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC), Mr Kayode Opeifa, Alkali said preliminary investigations suggested the incident was due to an operational error, not a deliberate act.

“We have fixed the point machine from here up to Kaduna, and since then, there has been no issue of derailment.

“Investigations are still ongoing, and we don’t want to preempt the committee until it submits its report.

“A point machine, also known as a switch motor, is a device that moves rail turnout blades, allowing trains to change tracks safely and efficiently,” he stated.

Alkali acknowledged that vandalism continued to pose a serious challenge to railway safety, in spite of ongoing arrests and prosecutions of those damaging rail infrastructure.

He confirmed that four out of ten derailed coaches had been recovered using specialised railway cranes and equipment.

He also revealed that procurement was underway to extend the rail line from Warri to Ajaokuta and eventually to Abuja.

In his remarks, NRC Managing Director, Opeifa apologised to the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) over a reported altercation involving the immediate past National Chairperson of the Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ), Ladi Bala, during media coverage of the derailment.

“If any journalist or medium felt excluded or not well treated at the accident scene, I take full responsibility and sincerely apologise.

“We are committed to transparency and will continue to provide the press with access and information as events unfold,” Opeifa said.

Corroborating the minister’s stance, Opeifa also ruled out sabotage, citing technical evidence from the derailment site.

“Nationwide, rail tracks are constantly targeted by vandals and scrap syndicates.

“But with specific reference to this incident, the track showed no signs of sabotage or structural failure.

“Our initial findings indicate it was an operational accident at a junction point,” he explained.

He confirmed that all 618 passengers on board the train were successfully evacuated without any loss of life or serious injuries.

Opeifa assured that efforts were ongoing to restore full train services, stressing that passenger safety and service reliability remained top priorities.(NAN)(www.nannews.g)

Edited by Abiemwense Moru