THE Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) has suspended operations on the Warri–Itakpe Train Service (WITS) over what it described as operational and technical concerns.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, the corporation said the decision followed advice from its engineers and was aimed at allowing critical assessments on the rail corridor.

According to the NRC, the temporary halt is part of efforts to improve safety, reliability and service delivery on the route, which connects parts of Delta, Edo and Kogi states.

“The temporary suspension has become necessary to enable the corporation to carry out critical operational assessments aimed at ensuring continued safety, reliability, and improved service delivery on the corridor,” the statement said.

The NRC explained that engineers were already working to address the issues, adding that passengers would be informed before the end of the week when normal operations would resume.

While apologising for the disruption the development may cause commuters and businesses that rely on the service, the NRC assured the public that steps were being taken to restore operations as quickly as possible.

The agency also reaffirmed its commitment to providing safe and efficient rail transport services across the country.

The latest development comes days after the Federal Government announced a 50 per cent reduction in train fares for travellers during the Sallah celebration.

The fare reduction was disclosed in a statement by the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Transportation, Funsho Adebiyi, who said the move was introduced to ease transportation costs for Nigerians travelling during the festive period.

The ICIR reports that the Warri-Itakpe service has been shut down several times due to operational glitches.