The Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) has quietly pulled the plug on the Warri–Itakpe Train Service (WITS), announcing an indefinite suspension because of operational and technical problems.
The move came just ahead of the Sallah break — and at the same time the Federal Government approved a 50 per cent cut in fares on all NRC trains for Eid-el-Kabir. Bit of timing, right?
NRC’s Chief Public Relations Officer, Callistus Unyimadu, said engineers advised the halt so the corporation can carry out critical operational checks to keep passengers safe and improve reliability along the corridor.
“The NRC regrets the inconvenience this development may cause passengers and other stakeholders, and assures the public that efforts are ongoing to resolve the issues within the shortest possible time,” he said.
Unyimadu also promised travellers would be told before the end of the week when normal services will resume. “The Corporation remains committed to safe, efficient and customer-friendly rail services across the country and appreciates the understanding, patience and continued support of the public during this period,” the statement added.
On fares, Unyimadu said the 50 per cent discount approved by the Federal Government is meant to ease travel costs for Nigerians during the festive period.
