Tinubu Appoints Opeifa as NRC Managing Director

President Bola Tinubu on Wednesday named Kayode Opeifa as the new Managing Director of the Nigeria Railway Corporation (NRC).  Opeifa takes over from Ben Iloanusi, who had been serving in an acting capacity after the departure of Fidet Okhiria in October 2024. Opeifa, known for his work as Lagos State’s Commissioner for Transportation under Governor Babatunde Fashola, played a significant role in transforming the state’s transport system.  His efforts improved traffic management and earned Lagos recognition as a model for urban transport in Africa. Opeifa also served as Transport Secretary for the Federal Capital Territory during former President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration. As Vice-Chairman of the Presidential Task Team, Opeifa worked alongside former Vice President Yemi Osinbajo to ease the traffic congestion in Lagos’ Apapa area.  Now, as the head of the NRC, Opeifa faces the task of enhancing Nigeria’s rail infrastructure.

NRC Suspends Warri-Itakpe Train Service After Minor Derailment

The Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) has suspended the Warri-Itakpe train service following a minor derailment that occurred late Sunday night.  The incident took place around 10 pm at the Okpara station, located in the Ethiope East Local Government Area of Delta State. As a result of the derailment, passengers were left stranded overnight. In a statement issued on Monday, Yakub Mahmood, NRC’s Deputy Director of Public Relations, reassured the public that services would resume in the afternoon.  He added that a team of engineers was already on-site working to restore the damaged track. The suspension comes just months after a similar derailment along the same route in July, which caused another disruption in train operations. The train involved in Sunday’s incident was traveling from Itakpe in Kogi State to Ujevwu in Delta State. Despite the setback, NRC confirmed that the Itakpe-Warri train service would continue as scheduled in the afternoon, once repairs were completed.

Theft Reports Of Railway Coaches In Maiduguri False, Clarifies NRC

The Nigeria Railway Corporation (NRC) has vehemently denied recent claims of an attempted theft of railway coaches in Maiduguri, Borno State. Mr. Fidet Okhiria, the Managing Director of NRC, issued an official statement to address this issue. In his statement, Okhiria clarified that the coaches in question were being relocated to the NRC running shed in Jos, Plateau, as part of a legitimate maintenance and refurbishment process to enhance their operational efficiency. He emphasized that the NRC is actively working on expanding Rail Mass Transit services across the nation. The reports circulating on social media regarding the alleged theft of NRC coaches led to concerns about security and infrastructure management in Nigeria. However, NRC has affirmed that the situation was misreported, and the coaches were undergoing necessary maintenance, not being stolen.