The Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) has clarified that Senator Ede Dafinone and former Delta State Secretary to the State Government, Patrick Ukah, were not among the passengers on board the Warri–Itakpe Train Service that derailed near Agbor in Delta State on Monday.
The clarification follows an earlier report attributed to the Federal Ministry of Transportation, which mistakenly included the Delta Central senator and the former Secretary to the State Government among the 482 occupants of the train involved in the accident.
In a statement issued on Tuesday and signed by its Managing Director, Dr. Kayode Opeifa, the NRC acknowledged the error and moved to correct the record.
According to the corporation, both Dafinone and Ukah were not passengers on the ill-fated train but arrived at the scene after the derailment occurred.
“The Nigerian Railway Corporation wishes to clarify that contrary to an earlier statement, Senator Ede Dafinone, representing Delta Central Senatorial District, and former Secretary to the Delta State Government, Hon. Patrick Ukah, were not passengers on board the Warri–Itakpe Train Service involved in the accident near Agbor,” the statement read.
The NRC explained that the two prominent Delta figures were instead part of stakeholders who arrived promptly at the scene to assist in rescue and emergency coordination efforts.
It noted that their presence contributed significantly to the mobilisation of first responders and other emergency personnel who participated in rescue operations following the derailment.
“Both distinguished individuals greatly assisted in the mobilization of first responders and other emergency personnel who participated in the rescue operations following the incident,” the corporation added.
The agency also expressed regret over the misinformation and apologised for any embarrassment or inconvenience caused to the individuals named in the earlier report.
Meanwhile, discrepancies have emerged over casualty figures from the incident. While the Ministry of Transportation reported four deaths, the NRC had earlier put the figure at three.
The ministry stated that the train carried 442 ticketed passengers along with 40 crew members, security personnel, and service providers, bringing the total to 482 occupants.
It further disclosed that 24 passengers sustained serious injuries, while several others suffered minor injuries and are currently receiving medical attention in hospitals around Agbor.
Both the NRC and the Ministry of Transportation have confirmed that investigations have commenced to determine the cause of the derailment, which occurred just weeks after services on the route were temporarily suspended due to a technical fault that previously stranded passengers and raised safety concerns.