The Nigerian Railway Corporation NRC has suspended Warri-Itakpe train services due to the poor condition of the track from Ujevwu in Delta State to Itakpe in Kogi State.
That was disclosed in a notice sent to customers, indicating that the agency planned to resume operations on Monday, July 8, 2024.
According to the NRC, the suspension, effective from Friday, was attributed to an obstruction on the track.
“This is to officially notify our esteemed passengers that the Warri-Itakpe Train will not run today, Friday, 5th July 2024, due to the obstruction we have on our track.
“We shall resume our normal train services on Monday 8th July 2024. Passengers who already booked their tickets online will be refunded,” it noted.
One of the coaches of a train travelling from Itakpe in Kogi State to Ujevwu in Delta State derailed around 7:15 pm on Thursday as it approached Abraka rail station.
Passengers reportedly enjoyed a smooth ride until reaching a point near Abraka in Ethiope East Local Government Area of Delta State.
Sources indicated that frightened passengers jumped through the doors while the train was decelerating, causing the derailed coach to drag the remaining coaches along with it.
However, no casualties were reported in the incident.
Recall that the Federal Government launched the e-ticketing services for the Lagos-Ibadan and Itakpe-Warri train routes in October of last year. The service aimed to revolutionise the way passengers book and pay for their train tickets, eliminating the need for physical tickets or cash transactions.
