- Safiu Kehinde
The Managing Director of the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC), Dr Kayode Opeifa, has ordered a mandatory four-day refresher safety training to all Abuja–Kaduna Train Service (AKTS) staff ahead of the service’s resumption.
Opeifa made this known in a statement on Friday in Lagos.
He spoke while presenting key takeaways from the in-house investigation into the August 26 train derailment to AKTS staff at Idu Station.
The NRC boss also reviewed recovery efforts, restoration progress, and outlined plans for safe recommencement of services on the corridor.
“Reinforcing the investigation’s safety focus, a mandatory four-day refresher training will begin for all AKTS staff on Monday, September 22, before service resumes,” he said.
During a prayer session, Opeifa thanked God for preserving lives during the incident and praised AKTS personnel for their coordination throughout the emergency response.
On welfare, he reaffirmed that the approved 95 per cent salary increase would be implemented before the end of the year.
Opeifa further cautioned locomotive drivers against issuing strike notices, stressing that such actions disrupted national service delivery.
The Nigerian Union of Railway Workers appreciated the MD for approving weekend incentives for AKTS personnel.
The Managing Director was accompanied by directors from civil engineering, corporate planning, and mechanical departments.
NPO Reported that a Kaduna-bound train had in August derailed at KM 49 between Kubwa Station and Asham Station.
While confirming the incident, Opeifa initially claimed that only seven out of the 583 rescued passengers sustained varying degrees of injury.
However, subsequent update released by the corporation disclosed that 20 were injured in the incident with nine out of the injured victims in critical condition.