By Noah Ocheni, Lokoja
A passenger train travelling from Itakpe to Warri derailed on Saturday in Kogi State, leaving passengers stranded for several hours before being rescued by security operatives.
Confirming the incident on Sunday in Lokoja, CSP William Ovye-Aya, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) for the Kogi State Command, said the derailment occurred around 4:30 p.m. at Adogo community in Ajaokuta Local Government Area.
According to Ovye-Aya, the Commissioner of Police, CP Naziru Kankarofi, promptly deployed officers to the scene after receiving a distress call to provide security for the affected passengers.
“The CP personally visited the Adogo derailment site on Sunday for an on-the-spot assessment. He met with officials of the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) and stranded passengers,” Ovye-Aya said.
He added that the commissioner also ordered the deployment of additional security personnel to secure both the passengers and railway facilities.
The police spokesperson confirmed that all passengers were safely evacuated to the Ajaokuta train station, where arrangements were made to help them continue their journey to their destinations.
“No casualties were recorded during the incident,” Ovye-Aya assured.
He further quoted CP Kankarofi as reiterating the Command’s commitment to collaborating with other relevant agencies to safeguard lives and property across the state.
The cause of the derailment was yet to be officially determined as of press time, but authorities said investigations were ongoing to prevent future occurrences.
