The Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) has ruled out track vandalism as the cause of the June 8 Warri–Itakpe Train Service (WITS) derailment at Owa-Oyibu, near the Goodluck Jonathan Railway Station in Delta State, which claimed four lives and left 64 people injured.
The Corporation, in its preliminary report on the incident released on Monday, said its internal investigation found the railway points intact and uncovered no evidence of track vandalism at the accident scene.
The NRC said the finding differed from two previous accidents involving the same WITS service on November 1 and November 8, 2025, which were attributed to track vandalism.
The latest incident occurred at about 4:17pm on June 8, 2026, as the train approached the Outer Home signal of the Goodluck Jonathan Railway Station at kilometre 177, Owa-Oyibu, Agbor.
The train, which departed Itakpe at noon with 482 people on board, comprising 442 passengers and 40 operational personnel, derailed, affecting five coaches, one locomotive and a power car.
Three of the coaches and the power car overturned, while the other derailed rolling stock remained upright.
According to the NRC, four people; three adults and one child died in the incident, while 64 others sustained injuries ranging from bruises and deep lacerations to blunt trauma, musculoskeletal strain, lumbar and maxillofacial injuries. ml o
The Corporation said 28 injured passengers were treated and discharged at the Railway Hospital, Owa-Oyibu, while 36 were taken to general hospitals in Owa-Oyibu, Owa-Alero and the Central Hospital, Agbor.
Most of those admitted were discharged within 72 hours. However, three people, including an NRC staff member who required surgical intervention, remained under specialist medical care, while two subsequently underwent surgery.
The NRC also corrected its initial report of five fatalities, explaining that subsequent verification with the Delta State medical team responsible for handling the deceased established the final figure at four.
Investigation points to possible technical failure
The NRC said its internal accident investigation team conducted site inspections, collected evidence from the derailment location, reviewed operational records, including train logs and communication data, and carried out technical examinations of the locomotive, rolling stock and safety-critical components.
The team also interviewed witnesses, train crew, operations staff, maintenance personnel and emergency responders, while reviewing medical records, casualty assessments and emergency response activities.
The investigation further examined the track infrastructure, turnout arrangements and communication systems within the affected section.
According to the preliminary findings, a possible sudden bogie or wheel defect may have developed while the train was en route and could have contributed to the derailment.
The Corporation said such a defect could have resulted in abnormal wheel-rail interaction, excessive impact loading and loss of running stability.
It added that the possible manner of brake application might also have contributed to the severity of the incident.
The NRC, however, stressed that the findings remain working hypotheses and that the definitive cause or causes of the derailment would be determined after further analysis and reflected in the final report.
NSIB begins independent investigation
Meanwhile, the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) has commenced an independent investigation into the incident in line with statutory requirements.
The NRC said it was fully cooperating with the NSIB investigation and would be guided by its findings and recommendations.
The independent agency’s final report is still pending.
NRC recommends stronger safety measures
Based on its preliminary findings, the NRC recommended comprehensive inspections and safety audits of rolling stock, tracks and railway infrastructure across all operational corridors before equipment is returned to service.
It also called for enhanced maintenance and condition-monitoring programmes, timely replacement of defective components and adequate availability of critical spare parts.
The Corporation recommended a review of existing operational safety procedures, replacement of obsolete practices with updated Standard Operating Procedures, as well as stronger safety compliance monitoring and enforcement.
It further called for improved emergency preparedness through regular drills, enhanced rescue capabilities, better coordination among emergency response agencies and improved passenger emergency awareness and communication systems.
On human capacity, the NRC recommended continuous professional development, comprehensive training in accident prevention and emergency management, as well as periodic competency assessments for railway personnel.
The Corporation also called for sustainable funding for railway modernisation and stronger insurance and compensation arrangements to provide adequate coverage for medical treatment, disability support and fatalities involving passengers and staff.
The NRC said the delay in releasing the preliminary report was due partly to the need to ensure that relatives of the deceased were duly informed through established medical and victim-support procedures.
It expressed condolences to the families of those who lost their lives and pledged to implement recommendations arising from both its internal accident inquiry and the independent NSIB investigation.
The Corporation said its priority was to strengthen railway safety, improve operational resilience and restore public confidence in rail transportation.
It disclosed that the affected track had been fully recovered and restored, while the locomotives had been recovered and were undergoing reconditioning.
The NRC said resumption of the Warri–Itakpe service would depend on the completion of a detailed track and equipment safety audit.