Over 1,000 train passengers escape death

A train taking passengers from Ogun State to Apapa in Lagos on Friday morning derailed at the Shina Peters end of Iju.

File photo: Passengers hanging on a moving train in Lagos at Ikeja Railway Station, Lagos

The incident occurred around 11:00am, with over one thousand passengers believed to be on board the 12-coach train.

However, there was no casualty as the speed of the train was broken by a rubbish heap close to the track.

One of the passengers, an employee of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, blamed the rail track for the accident, saying it was due for rehabilitation.

He said “It was the rail track that caused the derailment of the train because anytime I’m on board; I feel the coaches dance on the rail line. It didn’t just start today or yesterday, it has been going on for a long time. We thank God because the train was not moving too fast when the incident occurred, otherwise, there would have been casualties.”

Another passenger, who boards the train daily, said there would have been casualties if the incident had occurred at a peak period, either when people were leaving home for work in the morning or returning home in the evening.

She said, “I follow the train every day and you know how our trains are filled up at peak periods between 6.30am and 8.30am and in the evening, with so many people hanging precariously on them.

“If the accident had occurred at such times, some people would surely have died.”

An official of the Nigerian Railway Corporation, who pleaded anonymity, confirmed that the accident was caused by bad rail tracks.

The official said, “The train was coming from Ijoko, and had passed Oposuru, Itoki, Agbado and was at Iju when it derailed. It happened because the tracks are bad.

“But there was no sign (it would happen) except that the coaches were shaking and the train was slow. At least, over a thousand passengers were on board the train but no casualty was recorded.

“I doubt that any train would work again today. The Kano-bound trip would also be cancelled. We operate just a rail line. If we had about six lines like they have in developed countries, we would have just switched to another line and operations would have commenced immediately.

The official attributed the poor state of rail tracks in the country to mismanagement and sabotage by some corrupt persons.

Over 1,000 train passengers escape death

Man with earphone on killed by train in Lagos

An unidentified young man with earphone on, was on Wednesday killed by a passenger train at Cappa area of Oshodi, Lagos. The man was standing on the rail track oblivious of the fast approaching train. The Ogun-Lagos-bound mass transit train was leaving its Oshodi station to Mushin when the accident occurred.

The train had as usual, sounded its horn repeatedly as it was approaching the railway crossing at Ilupeju Bye-pass for clearance of its traAccording to an eyewitness, the man who had his earphone on was apparently carried away with either the call he was receiving or listening to music.

“Obviously the man was not aware of the approaching train even as it blasted its horn, perhaps because of the earphone. “Before he knew it, he was already hit by the train and was not given any chance to escape. “Immediately he was hit, the body was mangled as the train dragged it underneath,’’ the eyewitness said.

People standing by the rail track that saw the incident raised their hands over their heads in a show of pity for the deceased.“The man has suddenly and unwittingly lost his life to sheer carelessness,’’ a passenger said. It was not the first time a moving train would crush to death people standing on the rail track because of having their earphones on.   Among them was a lady in 2006, killed at Shogunle GRA railway crossing, while another one was killed in 2007 at Oshodi.

 

Man with earphone on killed by train in Lagos

Lagosians now enjoy air-conditioned trains - Jonathan

President Goodluck Jonathan says his administration has transformed the railway system, adding that the people of Lagos now enjoy train rides in air-conditioned coaches.

The President said this in a Facebook post on Sunday.

Jonathan, who described the feat as a ‘silent revolution’ promised that his administration would do more in the coming years.

He said, “A silent revolution is taking place in Lagos. Every day, thousands ofLagosians are escaping the hustle and bustle of Lagos traffic by traversing the mainland in the new air condition Diesel Multiple Unit trains.

“These trains were introduced by my administration as a fore taste of our plan to develop an inter-city and intra-city high speed train network for Lagos. The Federal Government has already signed a $1.5bn contract for the construction of the Lagos-Ibadan Express Train.

“This project, when completed, will make it possible to live in Ibadan and work in Lagos. This is progressing simultaneously with the $12bn Lagos-Calabar coastal rail project. This project is 1,402km long and will link Lagos to Calabar with stops at cities along the route. We have good plans for Lagos, plans that will ensure that Lagos continues to be the centre of excellence and a pride to Nigeria.”

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)

Lagosians now enjoy air-conditioned trains - Jonathan