The Nigerian Railway Corporation, NRC, has announced the resumption of operations on the Warri-Itakpe rail corridor this Wednesday, following the successful restoration of the damaged track and the arrest of two suspects linked to last weekend’s derailment incident.
The suspects, Mudansuru Mutari, 27, and Blorie Kokori, 39 were apprehended on Tuesday near Kilometre 208 before Abraka, Delta State, by operatives of the NRC Police Command in collaboration with local security networks.
Preliminary investigations, backed by their confessional statements, confirmed their involvement in the vandalisation of fasteners and clips that led to the derailment near Agbor on Sunday.
NRC Managing Director, Dr. Kayode Opeifa, in a statement issued in Lagos, praised the swift response of the Railway Police Command and community security teams that led to the arrest.
The suspects will face the full wrath of the law for sabotaging national infrastructure and endangering public safety,” Opeifa declared, describing the act as economic sabotage and a serious threat to national security.
He reaffirmed the corporation’s zero-tolerance policy toward railway vandalism, stressing that the NRC would continue to collaborate with security agencies to bring all perpetrators to justice.
Opeifa also confirmed that the re-railment and track restoration were completed on Sunday, November 2, after which a safety inspection and operational audit were carried out to ensure full readiness for service resumption.
Our priority remains the safety, reliability, and confidence of our passengers. We have intensified surveillance, deployed advanced security technologies, and deepened community engagement across all corridors, he assured.
The NRC appreciated passengers for their patience during the suspension period and reaffirmed its commitment to protecting critical railway assets nationwide.
