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Ex-convict bodybuilder Akinwale Arobieke found dead at home in Liverpool

Mustapha USMAN
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Ex-convict bodybuilder Akinwale Arobieke found dead at home in Liverpool

AKINWALE Arobieke, better known in the UK as “Purple Aki,” has reportedly been found dead at his home in Toxteth, Liverpool.

The 64-year-old British-Nigerian bodybuilder was discovered unresponsive at his residence on Devonshire Road around 8:30 p.m. on Tuesday, August 26, according to reports.

He was pronounced dead at the scene, and authorities confirmed that his death is not being treated as suspicious.

“We can confirm that emergency services were in the Toxteth area following a non-suspicious death last night, August 26.

“At around 8:30 p.m., officers were made aware of a man in his 60s who was found unresponsive at an address on Devonshire Road, Princes Park. He was sadly pronounced deceased at the scene.

“The man’s death is not suspicious and a file will be prepared for the coroner,” a Merseyside Police spokesperson was quoted to have said.

Born Akinwale Oluwafolajimi Oluwatope Arobieke on July 15, 1961, at Crumpsall Hospital in Lancashire, Aki was of Nigerian descent.

His mother, then a secretarial student, placed him in care at just six months old. He later spent time in a Barnardo’s home in Llandudno.

As an adult, he worked in modest jobs, including as a tunnel cleaner in the Mersey Tunnels and as a messenger for Liverpool City Council.

For decades, Arobieke remained a well-known and controversial figure in Merseyside, where he was depicted in local folklore as a “bogeyman.”

He gained notoriety in the 1990s for approaching young men and asking to touch their muscles.

In 1986, he was initially convicted of the involuntary manslaughter of 16-year-old Gary Kelly, who died after coming into contact with a live rail while attempting to flee from him.

The conviction was later overturned on appeal, and Arobieke was awarded £35,000 in compensation.

Beyond that, he was also convicted of touching and measuring the muscles of young men and asking them to squat his body weight.

In 2003, Arobieke was sentenced to six years in prison for multiple counts of harassment and witness intimidation, following incidents that spread fear among young men in the region.

Similarly, in 2006, authorities imposed a Sexual Offences Prevention Order (SOPO) on him, even though he had no sexual convictions. The order prohibited him from touching, feeling, or measuring muscles, loitering around gyms or schools, or entering specific towns such as St Helens and Warrington.

The order was lifted in May 2016.

Mixed reactions as court orders 6 banks to release Sowore’s account details to IGP

Nanji Nandang VENLEY
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Mixed reactions as court orders 6 banks to release Sowore’s account details to IGP

MIXED reactions have trailed Federal High order directing six banks to release human rights activist Omoyele Sowore’s account records and transaction details to the Inspector-General of Police, covering January 2024 to August 2025.    

The ICIR reports that the judge, Emeka Nwite, on Tuesday in Abuja, granted the order following an ex parte motion by the IGP’s lawyer, Wisdom Madaki, who said that Sowore, publisher of Sahara Reporters, was being investigated for alleged terrorism financing, money laundering, and fraud.

“He is being investigated for terrorism financing, money laundering, and fraudulent activities. That the complainant has commenced an investigation into the activities of the 1st respondent. That the accounts for which the statements are sought are those being used by the 1st respondent for terrorism financing and money laundering,” the motion read in five grounds of argument.

Madaki said at least 26 bank accounts linked to Sowore were under investigation, including those of Sahara Reporters Media Foundation and the African Action Congress. 

In the ex parte motion marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1757/2025, the IGP named Sowore and Sahara Reporters Media Foundation as the 1st and 2nd defendants, while United Bank for Africa Plc, Guaranty Trust Bank Plc, Zenith Bank Plc, Opay Digital Services Ltd, Moniepoint, and Kuda Microfinance Bank Ltd were listed as the 3rd to 8th defendants.

“An order directing the following banks: UBA Plc, GTB Plc, Zenith Bank Plc, Opay Digital Services Ltd, Moniepoint, and Kuda Microfinance Bank Ltd to furnish the applicant, through the office of the Inspector-General of Police Monitoring Unit, with the account opening package/mandate card and certified true copies of statements of account reflecting transfers and account numbers of both inflows and outflows from January 2024 to date,” the motion read.

Madaki insisted that granting the request was crucial to support police investigations and that denying it would hinder the process.

Reacting on X, some users condemned the IGP’s action, while others saw it as a welcome development.

OyinAtiBode opined that Sowore could be stubborn but would not be involved in terrorism, insisting that Nigeria was drowning in insecurity, but police prioritised hunting critics.

Patrick Daniels wrote “If there’s anyone to be prosecuted for terrorism, it should be the IGP not Sowore.”

Gbengulo noted, “The same IGP should name sponsors of terrorism in Nigeria and should stop using state resources to shield them.” 

Similarly, Olusegun said “After he revealed the recent fraudulent promotion…”

Mr Tims also said “It’s important to consider the legal implications of requesting sensitive information such as @YeleSowore’s’s bank statement, especially given that @IGP does not have the authority to access these details.”

Users like Teejay 2 believe the directive is an excellent move.

Similarly, Naija Pinkin said “Those sponsoring Sowore to destabilise Nigeria should be exposed.” 

Tunji Jide said “If they found Sowore culpable, he’s finished.”

Son of God noted “Sowore, you allowed yourself to be used by outsiders to destabilise your country. Enemies within plenty for this country working against her.” 

The ICIR reported last week that Sowore, accused the Nigeria Police Force, of orchestrating a fresh plot to intimidate him and muzzle the operations of his media platform, Sahara Reporters.

He said he was once again summoned by the IGP Monitoring Unit to question him over Sahara Reporters Media Foundation and Sahara Reporters Ltd., after obtaining documents from the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC).

This invitation came just days after Sowore regained freedom on August 8, 2025, following nearly three days in police custody. 

The ICIR reported that his detention was based on two petitions, one alleging forgery of a police document and another accusing him of criminal defamation of a senior female officer.

Sowore described that arrest as “unjust, unwarranted and unlawful.”

During his detention, he accused police operatives, including the Head of the IGP Monitoring Unit in Abuja, Akin Fakorede, a Commissioner of Police, of assaulting him and breaking his hand, while the police insisted they were merely following due process and didn’t assault the activist.

NGX Group urges Tinubu to fact-track listing of state-owned enterprises, NNPC

Ehime ALEX
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NGX Group urges Tinubu to fact-track listing of state-owned enterprises, NNPC

THE Nigerian Exchange Limited (NGX) Group has called on President Bola Tinubu to fast-track the listing of state-owned enterprises, including the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited on the stock market.

The Group Chairman, Umaru Kwairanga, made the call at a meeting with the President on the sidelines of his two-day state visit to Brazil.

His call was contained in a statement on Wednesday, August 27 to The ICIR, signed by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga.

Tinubu’s state visit was aimed at reconnecting and strengthening Nigeria’s bilateral ties with the Southern American country.

Quoting the NGX chairman, Onanuga stated, “He urged the fast-tracking of the listing of major state-owned enterprises, such as NNPC Limited, and the introduction of tax incentives to sustain this momentum.

“He also invited the President to visit the NGX trading floor to recognise these achievements.”

Commending the President for his bold reforms, the NGX Group chairman said that trading volumes and market values on the NGX have nearly tripled since the commencement of the current administration.

The ICIR reports that amid the recent call on the President to fast-track listing of state-owned enterprises on the Exchange, there has been concern over the NNPC’s delay in listing its shares on the capital market.

These worries had followed its initial plan to list in the middle of 2023 but failed to do so, despite having transitioned into a Limited Liability Company on July 19, 2022, with the signing of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) 2021 into law.

The PIA provides for the NNPC to list its shares in the capital market in line with the provisions of the Companies and Allied Matters Act (CAMA) 1990.

Since then, the company has been postponing its plans to list on the NGX.

Earlier in March this year, it said it was in the final stage of getting listed in the capital market, in line with the provisions of the PIA. 2021.

Market analysts believe that listing on the Nigerian stock market will allow investment into the national oil company and provide funds to drive other state-owned enterprises, thereby providing more funds for the government to execute fiscal projects and limit its borrowing.

In July, however, the NNPC Group Chief Executive Officer, Bayo Ojulari, said the company had shifted its plans of listing its shares on the stock exchange till 2028, The ICIR reported.

At the meeting with the President were the NGX Group Chief Executive Officer, Temi Popoola, and the Director-General of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Emomotimi Agama.

Popoola stressed the need to position the Nigerian capital market as a global investment hub through stronger partnerships, modernised market infrastructure, and deeper product innovation.

He believes that expanding retail investor participation through digital channels will promote inclusive and sustainable market growth.

Agama described the recent signing of the Investment and Securities Act (ISA) 2025 as one of Africa’s most comprehensive legal frameworks for capital markets.

He anticipates that the Act will propel Nigeria toward a N300 trillion market while ensuring equitable wealth distribution through strong investor protection and regulatory clarity.

The NGX Group further cited exchange rate stability and macroeconomic predictability under the new government as drivers of the company’s growth, urging Nigerian businesses to list on NGX as a pathway to democratising wealth and broadening participation.

On his part, President Tinubu commended the capital market’s remarkable growth since he assumed office on May 29, 2023.

He noted the phenomenal rise in market capitalisation and increased trading activity, which have broadened investment opportunities for Nigerians and international investors.

He described the market’s performance as a clear reflection of investor confidence in his administration’s reforms and bold economic measures.

“Nigeria’s markets must be a trusted engine of enterprise and prosperity. My government will continue to pursue reforms that unlock capital, protect investors, and drive innovation, so that our economy works for every Nigerian,” Tinubu said.

Uzodimma approves N104,000 minimum wage for Imo workers

Itoroabasi Uduak UDO
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Uzodimma approves N104,000 minimum wage for Imo workers

IMO State Governor Hope Uzodimma has approved a new minimum wage of N104,000 for the state civil servants.

The governor announced the increment during a meeting with labour union leaders Tuesday night at the Government House, Owerri.

According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the minimum wage was raised from N76,000 to N104,000. Also adjusted were the salaries of doctors, which increased from N215,000 to N503,000, and those of tertiary institution lecturers, from N119,000 to N222,000, among others.

Uzodimma said the decision was part of his administration’s commitment to improving workers’ welfare despite challenges such as insecurity, COVID-19, economic reforms, and subsidy removal.

“When workers are paid well, productivity rises, families are happier, and the local economy grows. This is our way of investing in Imo people,” the governor said.

He disclosed that the state’s Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) had risen from N400 million to over N3 billion monthly, while federal allocations had increased from about N7 billion in 2020 to N14 billion. The state’s debt profile, he added, had reduced from over N280 billion to less than N100 billion.

Uzodimma further revealed that the government would begin payment of the last batch of gratuities, amounting to N16 billion, to pensioners from August 27. He also highlighted reforms in the health sector, including the launch of a health insurance scheme and equipping hospitals for improved service delivery.

The governor urged workers to maintain ethical standards and shun redundancy, while calling on labour unions to sustain cordial relations with the government.

Responding, the Imo State Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Uchechigemezu Nwigwe, hailed the development as “a victory for the entire workforce in the state.”

“Today, no worker in Imo will say you have not been fair to us,” Nwigwe told the governor, pledging workers’ continued diligence and efficiency.

Also speaking, the state Chairman of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), Uchenna Ibe, lauded Uzodimma’s “political will” in embarking on people-oriented policies, including the new wage increase.

With the new pay structure, Imo becomes one of the states offering the highest minimum wage to workers in Nigeria.

The ICIR reports that the decision came less than two months after the NLC national leadership joined the state chapter of the group to protest alleged poor welfare for workers by the Nzodimma’s government.

The NLC president was reportedly brutalised and arrested during the protest.

He said many of the state workers had died because of non-payment of their salaries by the state government.

He listed some of Uzodimma’s alleged offences against its employees as the purported inability to implement prior agreements; unpaid salary arrears of nearly two years; labelling of employees as ghost workers; and due gratuity arrears, among others.

Ajaero also complained about the state government’s noncompliance with the federal minimum wage, stating that Uzodinma had opposed the use of dialogue and collective bargaining to address the problems.

One killed, two injured as building foundation collapses in Abuja

Bankole ABE
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One killed, two injured as building foundation collapses in Abuja

THE Federal Capital Territory Emergency Management Department (FEMD) has said the collapsed foundation of a building in the Garki Area of Abuja killed one person and left two others injured. 

In a statement by the Department’s Head of Public Affairs, Nkechi Isa, on Tuesday, the FEMD said the incident occurred at about 5:50 pm on Monday and the life of a 25-year-old man, who was a labourer on the site.

The incident occurred within the premises of Radio House, Area 8, Garki.

According to FEMD, two workers were trapped underground after digging about seven feet deep.

Isa said emergency responders managed to pull one of the trapped men out alive, while the second, a 25-year-old, sustained fatal injuries and was pronounced dead.

Acting Director-General of FEMD, Abdulrahman Mohammed, described the incident as avoidable, stressing that strict compliance with safety standards in construction was non-negotiable.

He appealed to developers to engage certified professionals and avoid using unqualified hands, while reminding residents to call the toll-free 112 line in emergencies.

Building collapse incidents remain a frequent issue in the nation’s capital.

In June 2024, two people were rescued from a collapsed building at the Gudu District in Abuja, the FCT.

The collapsed building was located at Close 10, Drive 5, Second Gate at the Prince and Princess Estate, Gudu.

Isa, on Saturday, June 20, 2024, confirmed that every person working in the building left the premises as soon as they noticed signs that the building was about to collapse.

Nevertheless, the debris from the fallen structure trapped two people inside the attached building within the premises.

The ICIR reported in August 2023 that two people also died in a building collapse at Lagos Street in the Garki area of the FCT.

Thirty-five others were injured in the collapse and were taken to hospitals around the area.

The incident occurred at about 11.30 pm on Wednesday, August 23, according to Isa.

In August 2022, a three-storey building collapsed in Kubwa, killing two and injuring four. Months later, in February 2023, an illegally modified structure in Gwarinpa crumbled, leaving three dead and over 20 survivors.

Experts say repeated building collapses are largely caused by weak enforcement of regulations, the use of substandard materials, and developers hiring unqualified workers.

In response, Abuja authorities have recently demolished several illegal structures. In May 2025, more than 10 duplexes built on waterways and green areas in Wumba and Utako were removed, with the FCT Administration pledging to protect the city’s master plan and clamp down on unsafe construction practices.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tinubu lampooned for claiming ‘no more corruption’ in Nigeria

Bankole ABE
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Tinubu lampooned for claiming ‘no more corruption’ in Nigeria

NIGERIANS are lashing out at President Bola Tinubu for claiming that his administration had rid their nation of corruption.

The president made the claim on Tuesday, August 26, during an official engagement in Brazil.

He argued that his administration’s economic reforms had successfully dismantled corrupt practices in government.

“The reforms I’ve embarked upon since I took over in Nigeria have been very impactful. I can beat my chest for that. It was initially painful, but today the result is blossoming. It’s getting clearer to the people. We have more money for the economy… no more corruption,” Tinubu told his audience.

The president’s remarks appear to focus on his economic agenda, including the removal of fuel subsidies, floating of the naira, and recent tax reforms, as decisive tools in curbing graft.

However, his assertion that corruption had been eradicated in Nigeria drew the ire of citizens on social media, where many accused the president of being detached from the reality.

Nigerians react

On X, users questioned the accuracy of Tinubu’s claim, pointing to persistent scandals attached to his administration.

Sani Shinkafi, a political commentator, challenged the president’s anti-corruption credentials by drawing attention to some of his ministerial appointments.

“President Tinubu said Nigeria is a corruption-free nation. How? When he has appointed ministers with questionable characters and pending petitions before anti-graft agencies,” he wrote.

Another user, @saadibrahimwazi, highlighted the systemic nature of corruption in Nigeria, particularly in public contracts.

“Corruption in Nigeria is multifaceted. When you have contracts awarded and paid upfront without being executed, diversion of budgetary allocations, and roads left in deplorable condition, these remain menaces to the country,” he posted.

Others were more critical in their reactions. @MukhtarAyagi dismissed Tinubu’s statement as “a lie,” insisting that “corruption keeps developing across the country.”

Another X user, @abdulbaiwa50, lamented the hardship many Nigerians face, writing: “Big fat lie, so unfortunate. I can barely eat, and this guy has the audacity to say his policies are bringing light.”

In his remark, @ima_smilez wrote: “Maybe in his dreams, certainly not this Nigeria we are all living in.”

Others like @MezieAbia accused the president of presiding over a government plagued by mismanagement and fresh scandals.

“Under Tinubu’s watch, there’s a $1.5 million corruption case in the NNPC involving top security aides and the NNPC CEO, yet Tinubu hasn’t addressed it. Until he accounts for the loans his government has been taking, he cannot claim to have ended corruption.”

Nigeria has long been ranked among countries struggling with endemic graft. Transparency International’s (TI) Corruption Perceptions Index has consistently ranked Nigeria near the bottom globally, with public trust in government institutions deteriorating over decades of scandals—from inflated contracts to embezzlement of public funds.

Tinubu’s administration came to power on the back of promises to reform the economy and restore accountability. While policies such as subsidy removal and fiscal tightening have been praised by a few, they have also triggered inflation, widespread hardship, and public anger.

Some Nigerians believe that declaring Nigeria “corruption-free” is unprecedented and hasty for any Nigerian leader.

For many Nigerians struggling with economic hardship and widespread reports of graft, the president’s assertion appears not just premature but contradicts reality.

As one user, @Davejaz86, put it: “Maybe Mr. Tinubu is referring to another country no one knows about yet. So unfortunate.”

EXPLAINED: Prebunking vs. debunking in the fight against misinformation

Fatimah QUADRI
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EXPLAINED: Prebunking vs. debunking in the fight against misinformation

IN today’s information age, false claims can quickly cause real harm, such as shaping elections, fuelling health crises, and eroding trust in public institutions.

To address this, fact-checkers and actors in the disinformation space often turn to two key strategies: prebunking and debunking.

While the terms may sound alike, their timing and impact differ significantly, and understanding this distinction is vital to strengthening a resilient information ecosystem.

What is debunking?

Debunking is the process of correcting misinformation after it has already spread and gained traction. It’s reactive, meaning fact-checkers or journalists step in once a false claim is circulating, investigate it, and provide credible evidence to set the record straight.

Debunking can be understood as a form of damage control. Once a falsehood has already circulated and gained traction, the objective is to minimise further harm by exposing the truth and providing accurate information.

Clear examples include the spread of misinformation and disinformation during Nigeria’s 2023 general elections, many of which were debunked by The FactCheckHub [see here, here, and here].

Similarly, in 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, The FactCheckHub fact-checked numerous claims ranging from supposed cures for the virus to vaccine-related falsehoods designed to discourage uptake once vaccines became available.

Citing the World Health Organization (WHO), our researchers demonstrated that these claims lacked any scientific basis. This too was debunking correcting falsehoods only after they had already circulated widely.

What is prebunking? 

Prebunking, in contrast, is proactive. It anticipates the types of misinformation likely to appear and equips people with the knowledge to spot and resist them.

Think of it like a vaccine; instead of waiting until people are infected by false information, prebunking prepares them in advance.

Ahead of elections, fact-checkers can write tutorials and explainers that would educate the electorate ahead of the day and how to identify potential misinformation.

In health, prebunking is equally powerful. Ahead of vaccination campaigns or outbreaks, organisations might warn that common misinformation, such as claims that vaccines cause infertility, etc, will circulate online. When people later encounter such posts, they are more likely to reject them because they were already warned.

By doing this, prebunking helps citizens become more sceptical of suspicious content before they even encounter it.

Both approaches are essential, but their effectiveness differs. According to the American Psychological Association, prebunking can reduce the spread of falsehoods by making people more resistant to them in the first place. Debunking, while necessary, often struggles because misinformation travels faster than corrections and tends to leave lasting impressions even after it has been disproven.

This is republsihed from the FactCheckHub.

Pulitzer Centre offers grants for underreported stories in Africa

Blessing OTOIBHI
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Pulitzer Centre offers grants for underreported stories in Africa

THE Pulitzer Centre is seeking proposals to advance wide-reaching and relevant journalism on issues impacting communities in Africa, including but not limited to water and sanitation, land degradation and coastal erosion, education, maternal health, and climate resilience.

We place special emphasis on projects that inform behaviour and policies that improve the lives of the communities reported on, and we encourage local journalists to apply.

Grants are open to reporters, photographers, radio/audio journalists, television/video journalists, and documentary filmmakers.

Special emphasis will be placed on projects that inform behaviour and policies that improve the lives of the communities reported on.

Interested applicants can apply here.

Nigerian monarch jailed in US over $4.2m COVID-19 fraud

Mustapha USMAN
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Nigerian monarch jailed in US over $4.2m COVID-19 fraud

A NIGERIAN monarch, Apetu of Ipetumodu, in Osun State, Joseph Oloyede, has been sentenced to 56 months in prison in the United States after pleading guilty to wire fraud and tax-related offences linked to a scheme that siphoned over $4.2 million from COVID-19 relief funds.

The US District Court in Ohio found Oloyede, 62, guilty of conspiring to defraud federal COVID-19 relief programmes, including the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) initiative, which were designed to support small businesses affected by the pandemic.

The presiding judge Christopher A. Boyko also ordered him to pay $4.4 million in restitution, forfeit his home in Medina, Ohio, and surrender nearly $100,000 in seized fraud proceeds. 

Oloyede, also a U.S citizen, will remain under three years of supervised release after completing his prison term, according to a statement by the US Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Ohio, on Tuesday, August 26.

“Oloyede was also ordered to serve three years of supervised release after imprisonment and pay $4,408,543.38 in restitution. He also forfeited his Medina home on Foote Road, which he had acquired with proceeds of the scheme, and an additional $96,006.89 in fraud proceeds investigators had seized.

“Court documents show that from about April 2020 to February 2022, Oloyede and his co-conspirator, Edward Oluwasanmi, 62, of Willoughby, conspired to submit fraudulent applications for loans that were made available through the U.S. Small Business Association (SBA) under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.

“Among these were the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) programme, which aided small businesses that suffered financial hardship as a result of the pandemic with loans and grants,” the statement added.

It noted that investigators revealed that he spent part of the proceeds on land, a luxury home, and a high-end vehicle. 

It also revealed that his co-conspirator, Oluwasanmi, was earlier sentenced in 2024 to 27 months in prison, in addition to paying over $1.2 million in restitution and forfeiting properties acquired with fraud proceeds.

“During the investigation, agents found that Oloyede operated as a tax preparer and owned five businesses and one nonprofit. His co-defendant—and tax client—Oluwasanmi, owned an additional three business entities; all were incorporated in Ohio. Both defendants used their businesses to submit loan applications using false information. They obtained approximately $1.2 million in SBA funds for Oluwasanmi’s entities and $1.7 million for Oloyede’s entities,” the statement read.

According to the statement, Oloyede also submitted fraudulent PPP and EIDL applications in the names of some of his clients and their businesses, taking up to 15-20 per cent kickbacks from their loans, which he failed to report to tax authorities.

It stressed that the convicted monarch in total caused the Small Business Association (SBA) to approve 38 fraudulent applications, amounting to $4,213,378 in disbursed loans and advances.

As part of his sentence, Oloyede was ordered to pay $4.4 million in restitution, forfeit his Medina property, and surrender nearly $100,000 in seized funds. 

The US government has been aggressively pursuing pandemic fraud cases, as watchdogs estimated over $836 million in alleged COVID-19 fraud.

Oloyede’s conviction was not an isolated case. Several Nigerians in the US have also been jailed for exploiting pandemic relief funds.

Just recently, three Nigerians, Kamaldeen Karaole, Stephen Olamigoke, and Johnson Omodusonu, were sentenced to over eight years in prison for defrauding the US of $520,910 in a COVID-19 unemployment benefits fraud scheme.

According to reports, court documents revealed that between August and October 2020, the trio, working with accomplices outside the US, stole 168 unemployment insurance debit cards issued by California, Arizona, and Nevada. 

They used 98 of these cards to make 529 ATM withdrawals, siphoning the benefits into cash.

NRC suspends Abuja-Kaduna rail service after derailment

Bankole ABE
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NRC suspends Abuja-Kaduna rail service after derailment

THE Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) has suspended operations on the Abuja-Kaduna corridor following Tuesday’s derailment of its train along the route.

Managing Director of the NRC, Kayode Opeifa, told reporters in Abuja that the suspension would remain until investigations are concluded.

He said that teams from the corporation, the Nigeria Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB), and other agencies were already examining the scene to determine the cause.

Opeifa dismissed suggestions that the ill-fated train was faulty, insisting its coaches and locomotives were in good working condition.

He added that refunds had been processed for all affected passengers.

While at the Idu and Asham train stations in Abuja, Opeifa met with some of the affected passengers.

He disclosed that six people sustained minor injuries and had been treated, though the total number of passengers on board has yet to be verified.

Meanwhile, the NSIB has launched a full-scale investigation into the incident.

The NSIB’s Director General, Alex Badeh Junior, extended sympathy to the injured and pledged a thorough inquiry.

“Our investigators are on ground to uncover the root cause of this derailment. The Bureau is committed to ensuring the safety of Nigerians through an independent and transparent process,” Badeh stated.

According to the Bureau, the inquiry will look into both immediate and systemic factors that might have contributed to the derailment, with recommendations expected to prevent a repeat.

The NSIB’s spokesperson, Bimbo Oladeji, confirmed that no lives were lost, asserting that six passengers were injured.

A team of investigators has been deployed to gather evidence, interview witnesses, and liaise with stakeholders, he said.

The ICIR reported that the train travelling from Abuja to Kaduna derailed around Jere, Kaduna State.

The train derailed at about 11 a.m. on Tuesday, August 26, triggering fear among passengers and their relatives.

A passenger who spoke with Channels TV at the scene said the situation was chaotic, with terrified passengers scampering for safety in confusion.

Confirming the incident, the Managing Director of the NRC, Kayode Opeifa, explained that a rescue operation was already underway at the scene but declined to provide further details.

Military personnel were deployed to the site to assist in evacuating stranded passengers.

The ICIR reports that the Abuja-Kaduna train corridor is a very sensitive route. Despite being one of Nigeria’s most active rail corridors, used daily by hundreds of commuters, it has faced many challenges.

In March 2022, passengers using the service sustained injuries during a terrorist attack on a Monday evening.

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