A section of a train travelling from Lagos to Kano on Saturday got detached from the main body and later derailed in Osun State.
Lagos Kano train derails in Osun.T. Teslim
Mechanical fault was suspected. It was learnt that the three wagons (cargo section) attached to the end of the passenger train got detached from the rest of the coaches at Ifon area of Osun at about 1:45am. The pilotless wagons lumbered to the interchange at the terminus around Old Garage area in Osogbo where the wheels got off the track and the wagons tumbled. A witness, Mr Biodun Opatoyinbi told that only one Mr Yakubu popularly called Baba Ibeji, a train conductor was in the cargo area. He was unhurt. Opatoyinbo said, the train driver was later stopped at Offa in Kwara State. As stated by him, a man who attempted to offload the goods in the stranded wagons has been arrested and detained by the Nigerian Railway corporation policemen. Another witness stated the train conductor had been taken to the hospital for proper medical checkup, adding that a building close to the rail track at the interchange terminal was also damaged. The Public Relations Officer of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps , Mr Babawale Afolabi, stated that NSCDC officers were keeping watch over the three wagons.