The House of Representatives has mandated the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau to investigate the causes of the various train incidents leading to the loss of lives in the country.
The House also mandated the federal government through the Nigerian Railway Corporation to provide measures to curb these unfortunate occurrences.
Also mandated were the relevant House Committees to ensure compliance and report back to it in three weeks.
These resolutions followed the consideration and adoption of a motion under matters of urgent public importance brought by Hon. Unyime Idem from Ukanafun/Oruk Anam Federal Constituency of Akwa Ibom state earlier in the week.
Titled: “Urgent Need to Curb the Incessant Loss of Lives and Destruction of Properties in Train Mishaps in Nigeria,” the lawmaker while moving the motion noted that “in January 2023, a train accident was reported in the Kubwa axis of Abuja, which claimed the life of Selimota Suleiman, a staff of the Nigerian Television Authority.
“Further aware that on Thursday, March 9, 2023, a moving train rammed into a BRT bus in Lagos State, claiming about six lives and many others injured.
“On March 28, 2022, an Abuja – Kaduna train was attacked, and many Nigerians lost their lives while others were either injured or abducted.
“A Warri – Itakpe train derailed in Kogi forest, leaving not less than 300 passengers stranded barely a month after about 20 passengers were abducted from a train station in Igueben, Edo State,” he said.
He expressed sadness that “in spite of these unfortunate trends, which are, as a result of the carelessness of some individuals, no one has ever been held to account for the unfortunate loss of lives.”
The motion further expressed concerns that “these unfortunate incidents are occurring very often because not much seems to be done to forestall the occurrence.”
The House before adopting the resolutions observed a minute silence in honour of the casualties of the various train mishaps in the country.
