- As NRC reopens route today
Two suspects have been arrested in connection with the train derailment incident, which occurred on the Warri-Itakpe railway in Agbor, Delta State at the weekend.
The Nigerian Railway Corporation announced this in a statement on Tuesday, identifying the suspects as Mudansuru Mutari and Blorie Kokori.
NRC Managing Director, Kayode Opeifa, said the suspects are currently being interrogated by the police in Delta state and will likely be transferred to Abuja, where they will give more details as to the sabotage that caused the derailment of the train.
“The suspects, identified as Mudansuru Mutari (male, aged 27) and Blorie Kokori (aged 39), were apprehended around Kilometer 208 before Abraka, Delta State, on Tuesday, November 4, 2025, by operatives of the NRC Police Command in collaboration with local security agents,” he said.
“Preliminary investigations and their confessional statements revealed their direct involvement in tampering with vital components of the rail track.”
The derailment pulled out two of the seven coaches of the Warri–Itakpe Train Service (WITS) at Kilometer 212+8m, near Agbor.
Opeifa had said preliminary investigations indicated that the incident, which happened at about 7.30pm on Saturday might have been caused by suspected track vandalism.
The NRC boss further stated that as a precautionary measure, train services on the corridor had been temporarily suspended on Sunday to enable a comprehensive security and safety audit of the track and related infrastructure.
The NRC boss commended the Railway Police Command and community security networks for their swift and coordinated response, reiterating the Corporation’s zero-tolerance policy on vandalism, describing the act as economic
Opeifa confirmed that the re-railment and full restoration of the affected portion of the Warri–Itakpe track were completed on Sunday, November 2, 2025.
He also reassured that following the inspection and operational audit, normal train operations on the corridor will resume on Wednesday, November 5, 2025.
The NRC boss told passengers and stakeholders that the agency remained committed to maintaining the highest standards of safety and reliability while also intensifying surveillance, deploying advanced security technologies, and strengthening community engagement along all railway corridors.
He appreciated the patience and understanding of passengers and the general public during the brief suspension period.