The Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) has quashed rumours circulating on social media that rail transport service on the Warri-Itakpe Train Service (WITS) corridor is unsafe.
A video had circulated and went viral on social media warning travellers to avoid train travel, particularly along Warri-Itakpe rail corridor.
The message, accompanied by a short video showing removed rail clips on the Warri-Itakpe rail corridor, and falsely claimed that rail transport is currently unsafe, urging passengers to cancel travel plans.
However, the Acting Deputy Director, Public Relations, NRC, Mr Callistus Unyimadu, has said rail transport on the WITS corridor is safe and operational.
A statement released by Mr Unyimadu on Monday in Lagos reads: “The attention of the NRC has been drawn to a widely circulated social media massage warning the public to avoid train travel, particularly along Warri – Itakpe rail corridor.
“The message, accompanied by a short video showing removed rail clips, falsely claims that rail transport is currently unsafe and urges passengers to cancel travel plans. We wish to categorically state that this information is misleading and unfounded,” he said.
Unyimadu noted that the identified incident, which involved the temporary removal of some rail clips at a specific location on the corridor, was promptly detected during routine inspection and was immediately rectified by NRC maintenance team.
“All necessary safety and operational protocols were strictly followed to ensure that no threat was posed to passengers or the integrity of the train operations.
“Indeed, the Warri-Itakpe train (WITS) has successfully passed through affected section without any incident, further confirming the safety of the route,” he said.
He pointed out that the NRC remained committed to the highest standards of safety and security in all its operations.
He added that NRC tracks and rolling stock are under constant surveillance and maintenance and NRC personnel are fully equipped to address any issues that may arise in real time.
“We, therefore, urge the public to disregard the viral message and continue to use our train services with full confidence.
“Any attempt to spread fear or discourage the use of rail transport undermines the progress being made in the sector and should be condemned.
“Train services on the Warri-Itakpe corridor and all other NRC corridors remain safe, reliable and fully operational.
“For official update and travel advisory, we encourage passengers to rely only on verified NRC communication channels,” he said.