THE Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) says its Warri–Itakpe Train Service has derailed, with four coaches capsizing.
The Managing Director of NRC, Kayode Opeifa, said in a statement in Lagos on Monday, June 8, evening that NRC would provide updates on the accident as more details would emerge.
Opeifa said that emergency response teams had been deployed to the scene to manage the situation and assist passengers
“The corporation is closely monitoring developments and will provide a comprehensive update as more details emerge on the cause and extent of the derailment,” he said.
He urged the public to be calm and rely only on official communication channels for information regarding the accident.
The latest derailment adds to a series of operational setbacks that have plagued the Warri–Itakpe rail corridor in the last couple of years.
In May 2026, the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) suspended services on the route, citing operational challenges and technical advice from its engineers to allow for safety checks, maintenance and system assessments.
Recall that in November 2025, the Warri–Itakpe train derailed in the Agbor area of Delta State just four days after the route resumed operations following months of suspension linked to technical faults and track repairs.
The NRC subsequently halted services again to conduct safety and security audits.
Before the November derailment, the NRC had suspended operations on the Warri–Itakpe route on August 2 following a series of train breakdowns and technical faults.
In July 2024, the NRC temporarily suspended operations after a train travelling from Itakpe to Ujevwu derailed, prompting safety inspections before services resumed days later.
Authorities have repeatedly blamed some of the disruptions on infrastructure vandalism.
Mustapha Usman is an investigative journalist with the International Centre for Investigative Reporting. You can easily reach him via: musman@icirnigeria.com. He tweets @UsmanMustapha_M