Reps to Probe Kaduna Train Derailment — NRC and CCECC in the Hot Seat

By: Oluwaseun Lawal

Another train derailment. This time, a Kaduna-bound train went off the tracks on August 26, 2025. Ten coaches, seven people injured. Thankfully, no lives lost. But the questions keep piling up.

The House of Representatives isn’t taking this lightly. Blessing Onuh, Chair of the Land Transport Committee, spoke exclusively to the media on Monday. She called the frequent train accidents “embarrassing” and “unacceptable.”

“Rail transport is supposed to be one of the safest ways to travel,” she said. “In many countries, you don’t hear about train crashes for decades. So why is ours, barely a few years old, having so many problems?”

The committee plans to summon the Nigerian Railway Corporation and China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation — the contractor behind the project — to explain what went wrong. They want answers. And they want guarantees this won’t happen again.

“Enough is enough,” Onuh said. “We need to get to the root of this and fix it.”

She also urged the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau to speed up its probe and deliver recommendations fast.

“Our thoughts are with the victims and their families,” she added. “We’re committed to making rail travel safe for all Nigerians.”

The message is clear: no more excuses. Time to fix the tracks — literally and figuratively.