Managing Director of the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC), Dr. Kayode Opeifa, has issued a public apology to the Nigerian press and the former president of the Nigerian Association of Women Journalists ( NAWOJ) Comrade Ladi Bala .
This followed his verbal attacks on Bala
, a reporter with the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA),during coverage of a train derailment recently, on the Abuja–Kaduna rail line.
At a press briefing convened at the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) FCT Council Secretariat in Abuja on Sunday, Dr. Opeifa admitted his remarks, made while coordinating emergency operations, were regrettable and not intended as hostility toward journalists.
Bala was carrying out her professional duties at the accident site when she came under verbal attack from the NRC boss, prompting sharp condemnation from the NUJ FCT, which described his conduct as degrading and a threat to press freedom.
In his apology, Dr. Opeifa said: “I deeply regret the comments I made under pressure at the derailment scene. They were inappropriate, unfair to a respected journalist, and do not reflect my regard for the media. I take full responsibility and sincerely apologize to Comrade Bala, the NUJ, NAWOJ, and the broader journalism community.”
To further demonstrate goodwill, he conferred on Bala the honorary role of “Ambassador for Media Advocacy”, citing her professionalism, resilience, and commitment to factual reporting despite the ordeal.
Providing details of the derailment, Opeifa disclosed that the accident involved eight coaches and a locomotive carrying 618 passengers. Seven coaches and the engine were damaged, with about 20 persons injured, seven of them critically. He noted that within 45 minutes, the NRC deployed replacement coaches to evacuate stranded passengers and launched contact tracing using the passenger manifest.
“Though some passengers dispersed to nearby communities, we were able to trace them through phone contacts. I personally visited seven of the injured, including one who had relocated to Zaria,” he said.
He commended the swift interventions of the Nigerian Army, Air Force, police, local vigilante groups, NEMA, Federal Ministry of Health, and the Kaduna and FCT authorities, whose coordinated response saved lives.
On recovery efforts, the NRC boss confirmed that by Saturday, two coaches and a locomotive had been cleared from the site, with two additional coaches expected to be removed before the close of Sunday. Engineers, he added, had already laid 50 meters of new track to aid the process.
According to him, the resilience of the NRC’s rolling stock was evident as some business-class passengers were unaware of the accident until they disembarked, underscoring the safety features of the system.
While reiterating his respect for journalists, Opeifa called for accuracy in reportage during crises to avoid unnecessary panic. He emphasized that the NRC remains committed to strengthening media relations, pointing to the creation of a Customer Service and Relations Department that has already contacted more than 400 passengers affected by the Kaduna derailment.
He also highlighted ongoing railway expansion projects, including the Jos–Bukuru line reactivation, Lagos, Ibadan corridor upgrade, and new connections to key ports such as Tin Can, Warri, and Onne, developments he described as unprecedented in over six decades of Nigerian railway history.
Recalling his past activism in human rights and trade union struggles, including his role in the Campaign for Democracy, ASUU leadership at LASU, and the June 12 movement, Opeifa stressed:
“I have always stood shoulder to shoulder with journalists. I am not their adversary but a partner in progress.”
NUJ FCT Chairman, Comrade Grace Ike, welcomed the NRC MD’s apology but reaffirmed the council’s zero tolerance for harassment and intimidation of journalists.
“The NUJ will always stand in defense of press freedom. The apology is a step toward rebuilding trust, but we will continue to resist any form of attack on our members,” she said.
She added that with Bala now recognized as the NRC’s Ambassador for Media Advocacy, more robust media-driven campaigns for journalists’ welfare and development, particularly within the FCT, are expected.
The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Special Duties, Tunde Rahman, who was present at the briefing, commended Opeifa’s humility in tendering the apology and assured of sustained collaboration between the presidency, the NRC, and the media.
Author: Maureen Ikpeama