By Princess Atevure,
The Nigerian Railway Corporation's Chief Executive Officer, Dr Kayode Opeifa, has dismissed claims that the ill-fated train was overcrowded. He made the statement on Wednesday on Channels Television's morning show.
The Ujevwu-Itakpe train crashed on Monday, killing five people. Opeifa was responding to questions about what caused the disaster.
According to him, the locomotive did not exceed safe weight limits. He noted that passengers had reported feeling vibrations during the journey.
Since Sunday, the NRC chief explained, demand has been overwhelming on that route. Over 200 people show up at stations regularly, he said, but they can't all board.
"There isn't enough space to pick everybody," Opeifa told reporters. The corridor between Warri and Itakpe has seen surging passenger numbers recently.
Travellers come from as far as Abuja to use the service, he noted. They travel to destinations across Bayelsa, Rivers, Delta, and Edo states.
Railway officials have been monitoring the route closely because of its popularity. Opeifa stressed that capacity constraints, not overloading, remain the bigger challenge.
