The Federal Government has confirmed that three people lost their lives following a tragic accident involving the Warri–Itakpe Train Service (WITS) in Agbor, Delta State.
The confirmation came on Monday evening through an official statement released via the Presidency’s verified X (formerly Twitter) account, several hours after the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) disclosed that an incident had occurred along the busy rail corridor.
According to the statement, emergency rescue and response teams were immediately deployed to the scene following the accident, and all passengers on board the train have since been accounted for.
“The Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) has confirmed a serious train accident involving the Warri–Itakpe Train Service (WITS) corridor at Agbor, Delta State.” the Presidency stated.
The Government confirmed that three fatalities had been recorded as a result of the incident.
“Sadly, three fatalities have been confirmed at this time.” the statement added.
Authorities also revealed that investigations are ongoing to determine the exact cause and circumstances surrounding the accident, while support and assistance continue to be provided to affected passengers and the families of victims.
The Presidency further urged members of the public to avoid spreading unverified information and to rely solely on official updates from the Nigerian Railway Corporation as investigations continue.
Earlier in the day, the NRC confirmed that an incident involving the Warri–Itakpe Train Service (WITS) had occurred and announced that emergency responders and relevant authorities had been mobilized to the scene.
In a statement signed by the NRC Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Kayode Opeifa, the corporation said officials were providing immediate assistance to passengers while efforts were underway to establish the full details of the accident.
“The Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) confirms that an incident involving the Warri–Itakpe Train Service (WITS) occurred today,” Opeifa stated.
“Emergency response teams and relevant authorities are currently at the scene attending to the situation and providing necessary assistance.”
At the time of the NRC’s initial announcement, details regarding casualties and the nature of the accident had not yet been disclosed.
The Warri–Itakpe railway line remains one of Nigeria’s most important standard-gauge rail networks, connecting major communities across Delta, Edo, and Kogi States while serving thousands of passengers every year.
As of the time of filing this report, authorities have not released the cause of the accident, with investigations still ongoing.