The Senate has initiated a comprehensive investigation into railway projects executed during the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari, following a disturbing pattern of derailments, vandalism and mechanical failures plaguing the Itakpe-Warri rail corridor.
The Upper Chamber yesterday resolved to establish an ad hoc committee that will conduct public hearings to uncover the root causes of recurring derailments and assess the condition of rail infrastructure, including imported materials used in the sector.
Senator Adams Oshiomhole, representing Edo North under the All Progressives Congress, will chair the committee, which has been given six weeks to complete its findings and present a detailed report to the Senate.
The probe follows a motion sponsored by Senator Ede Dafinone, APC, Delta Central, highlighting the recent derailment of the Ujevwu-Itakpe train line and calling for urgent investigation, rehabilitation and enhanced safety measures.
Senator Dafinone told the chamber that the Ujevwu-Itakpe Standard Gauge Rail Line, which resumed operations on 29th October 2025 after three months of suspension, experienced a series of alarming technical failures within just four days of service.
“Whilst there has fortunately been no loss of life so far, these recurring mechanical breakdowns and derailments point to grave safety lapses, inadequate technical supervision and poor maintenance culture within the Nigerian Railway Corporation,” he said.
The Senator detailed a troubling catalogue of incidents, including derailments in January 2023 near Kogi State involving over 140 passengers, track instability near Agbor in April 2023, and vandalism of rail clips and fasteners around Agbarho in December 2023.
Other incidents included derailments in May 2024 around Owa-Alero, Edo State, July 2024 near Ujevwu, Delta State, and most recently on 1st November 2025 near Agbor.
The ad hoc committee, which includes Senators Huseini Babaginda, Adamu Aliero, Wasiu Eshinlokun, Osita Ngwu, Adeola Solomon, Ibrahim Dankwabo, Ireti Kingibe and Sahabi Yau, will also investigate loans received from China for the projects.
The Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio, described the motion as “timely and necessary to protect lives, restore service reliability and safeguard national investments.”
“This is not a partisan issue. The derailments began even before this administration took office. We must find out what went wrong, from how the loans were obtained to how the projects were executed and maintained. The Nigerian people deserve answers,” he said.
Akpabio noted that the probe had become imperative as the railways should not be experiencing problems in just one year of operation.
“The same characters that built the rails are the ones trying to take over government by revolution. It is like Air Nigeria when you pour water after fanfare, everything fizzle out,” he said.
Senator Abdul Ningi, PDP, Bauchi Central, lamented the scale of the failures, describing them as “a national embarrassment that speaks volumes about the inefficiency of those managing the rail sector.”
“The government borrowed billions of dollars to construct these lines, yet they are failing barely two years after completion. We cannot continue to waste public funds and endanger lives because of negligence and mismanagement. Those responsible must be held to account,” Ningi said.
Senator Patrick Ndubueze, representing Imo North, called for a total reorganisation of the Nigerian Railway Corporation, arguing that the agency had failed to live up to its mandate.
“We should reorganise the NRC completely. The agency is no longer functioning as it should. Our roads are deteriorating because freight that should move by rail is being moved by road. If we fix the rail system, it will decongest the highways, reduce accidents and save lives,” he said.
Contributing to the debate, Senator Olamilekan Adeola, APC, Ogun West, urged the Senate to establish exactly how much was borrowed and spent on the project, who handled the contracts and whether due process was followed.
Senator Babangida Hussaini, representing Jigawa North-West, attributed the problems to poor project conception and weak maintenance culture.
“From design to execution, our approach to project management is very poor. The same contractors who built other railways across Africa have delivered quality systems that are still running efficiently. Why is ours collapsing so soon after commissioning?” Hussaini asked.
He added that the poor state of the railways had worsened the condition of Nigerian roads, as bulk cargo and freight that should move by train continues to be transported on highways, causing rapid deterioration.
The Senate has directed the Nigerian Railway Corporation to immediately address the technical faults responsible for recent derailments and ensure that the nation’s rail system is restored to full operational capacity.
Lawmakers also endorsed the establishment of a National Rail Safety and Standards Unit to monitor all rail operations nationwide and ensure compliance with international best practices.
The Senate Committee on Land Transport will conduct a full-scale investigation into all railway projects executed during the Buhari administration, with particular attention to project funding, implementation standards and maintenance practices.
The Abuja-Kaduna train derailment marks the second incident to occur at the same station within 13 months, highlighting the systemic nature of the safety challenges facing Nigeria’s rail infrastructure.
