COMMUTERS on the recently reopened Lagos-Kano rail route are now stranded in Minna following the derailment of a cargo train at Kutuwongi village in Mokwa Local Government Area, Niger State, on Wednesday.
Also, a Lagos-bound train from Kano crushed an unidentified man to death in Minna.
Sources said the commercial train, which departed Kano on Wednesday morning for Lagos, with fully loaded passengers and merchandise, got stuck in Minna when it became obvious that the Akere-Jebba route had been closed to traffic as a result of the derailment of the cargo train conveying cement to Kaduna and Kano from Lagos.
It was gathered, however, that before the Lagos-bound train crushed the unidentified man to death about 50 metres to Minna station, it had encountered a distress signal (warning it ahead of the derailed train in Minna).
The incident, which occurred around 8pm on Wednesday night, threw residents of Mobil Round-about, a commercial hub of Minna metropolis, into confusion but for the timely arrival of policemen, who came to the scene to forestall a breakdown of law and order.
Confirming the incident, Assistant Superintendent of Police, Sebastine Ayejime, who is the Divisional Police Officer in charge of the Minna Railway Police Station, said the unidentified man was crushed to death by the Lagos-bound train a few metres to the station.
According to him, the deceased was said to be sleeping on the rail track despite the loud blaring of horn by the approaching train. He said it was unfortunate that he refused to vacate the scene, which led to his untimely death.
The DPO said police succeeded in removing the man’s corpse from the scene of the accident. Unfortunately, he said the Medical Director of Minna General Hospital and his team refused to accept the remains because so many corpses had been deposited without anyone coming forth to claim ownership.
However, efforts to speak with the District Manager, NRC, Minna, proved abortive as he was said to have led top management team to Kutuwongi village on a rescue mission to clear the route in order to restore normal service.
via nigerianeye
Post a Comment