Nigerian Senate launches probe into Buhari-era rail projects over safety, financial concerns

The Nigerian Senate has initiated a formal investigation into railway contracts awarded during the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari.

This decision was driven by mounting alarm over repeated derailments and technical failures on the recently completed Itakpe-Warri rail line.

Lawmakers unanimously agreed on the urgent need for scrutiny, citing significant public safety risks and the enormous amount of public funds invested in the projects.

The probe will comprehensively examine the execution, supervision, and maintenance of the railway contracts.

The investigation was triggered by a motion from Senator Ede Dafinone, who revealed that the Itakpe-Warri corridor has experienced approximately 10 derailments and numerous service disruptions between 2023 and 2025.

He described these as “disturbing and persistent technical breakdowns” that have jeopardized passenger safety and severely eroded public trust in the rail system.

During the debate, senators expressed strong condemnation of the situation.

Senator Abdul Ningi labeled the failures a “national embarrassment,” emphasizing that Nigerians deserve answers after the government took huge loans to build the infrastructure.

Other lawmakers called for a full review of the Nigerian Railway Corporation and greater transparency in loan utilization and contract awards.

Senate President Godswill Akpabio endorsed the motion, stating the legislature must determine “what went wrong, from loan procurement to execution and maintenance.”

He affirmed that the probe aims to ensure public funds were not wasted.

Concluding the session, the Senate mandated the Ministry of Transportation and the Nigerian Railway Corporation to begin immediate rehabilitation of the faulty line.

The Senate’s transport committee was given six weeks to report its findings on all major rail projects from the Buhari era.

About The Author

Dele Fashomi

Dele Fashomi, seasoned journalist and communication teacher, is a holder of Master of Arts degree in Communication and Language Arts from the University of Ibadan in 1992/93.

Earlier, he had bagged a Bachelor degree from the same university in 1984, after which he proceeded to the Nigerian Institute of Journalism, Lagos, in 1990, for a postgraduate diploma in Journalism.

He had done many courses in communication, including the EU-BBC Editing Course in 2002.

Mr. Fashomi combines effectively the practice, research and teaching of communication. And to date, he has published two academic works in communication: Issues in Communication Technology and Policy (2010) and Economic and Social Issues in Advertising and PR (2013).

He had his first break in the Nigerian media in Concord Newspapers in 1990 and today, he has over two and half decades experience earned in several newspapers.

He has been part of many start-ups, such as The Republic (1987), The Comet (1999), The Anchor 2001 – 2002; Sun Newspapers (2003); Westerner newsmagazine (2005 – 2010) as Editor; National Life (2011) as Sunday Editor, and Newswatch Newspapers (2012- 2016) as Daily Editor.

Dele Fashomi is now the Publisher/Editor-in-Chief of Newstide247.com newspaper online, which he started in July 2015. He is also into biography writing, with many books in his trail, some of which he wrote alone and one he co- authored with his mentor, Mr Dare Babarinsa, entitled:  Olabiyi Durojaiye – DARE TO BE DiFFERENT. He also guided and collaborated with Pa Olatunji Odusanya in writing his autobiography – AGAINST ALL ODDS. There are many other books in the works under his pen.

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