The Nigerian Railway Corporation has announced that the suspended train service along the Warri-Itakpe corridor will resume on April 24.
The service was suspended on January 22 by the Corporation after the train derailed at KM30 Ajaokuta-Itakpe section in Kogi State with 148 passengers and 30 crew members on board.
According to officials from the Corporation, the service remained suspended due to the lack of Point of Sale, bank transfer payment methods at the stations, and unavailability of cash.
The Corporation however said it is set to resume operation considering the availability of cash in circulation.
Speaking on resumption of service, the Coordinator of Warri-Itakpe Train Service, Sanni Abdulganiyu, said; “The damage on the track has been fixed, the damage on the locomotive has been repaired and the damage on the coaches have also been fixed. So, we are set to resume on the 24th of April, 2023.
“Relatively, there is the availability of cash now, so we will maintain the cash payment method because cash is available to an extent while we continue the process of introducing the e-payment method.
“We cannot continue to wait for the introduction of the e-payment method since cash is available but I can assure you that the POS payment method will still be introduced.”
On the number of trips it will run, he said: “We run a return trip from Warri-Itakpe and back to Warri from Itakpe in the evening. The train leaves Warri by 8 am and gets to Itakpe by 1pm and it takes off from Itakpe by 2 pm and arrives at Warri by 7 pm we do this every day of the week including Saturdays and Sundays.”
