The Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) has temporarily suspended the Warri–Itakpe Train Service (WITS) over operational exigencies and technical advice from its engineers.
This is according to a statement issued on Wednesday by the NRC’s Chief Public Relations Officer, Callistus Unyimadu.
The suspension is to allow for critical operational assessments aimed at ensuring safety, reliability and improved service delivery on the corridor.
The NRC said the temporary suspension became necessary following technical recommendations from its engineers and assured passengers that efforts were ongoing to restore operations as quickly as possible.
The NRC further reaffirmed its commitment to providing safe, efficient and customer-friendly rail transport services across the country.
The Federal Government recently approved a temporary 50% fare reduction on all passenger train services operated by the NRC as part of efforts to ease transportation costs during the Eid-el-Kabir celebration period.
Train schedules and timetables for other operational routes remain unchanged as previously announced by the corporation.
The Warri-Itakpe rail service has witnessed multiple suspensions and resumptions in recent months due to technical and operational challenges affecting train operations.
In July 2024, several coaches derailed near Ujevwu in Delta State, prompting a two-day suspension for maintenance despite no casualties being recorded.
Similar incidents, including locomotive failures, derailments, washouts and collisions, have also affected other railway corridors across the country in recent years.
