Warri-Itakpe Train Breaks Down in Kogi Forest, Passengers Trek for Hours to Safety

Passengers aboard the Warri-Itakpe train experienced a harrowing ordeal on Tuesday after the train broke down in a remote forested area of Kogi State, leaving them stranded for hours. One of the passengers, Marxist activist Kola Edokpayi, who was en route to Abuja, shared his experience in a video posted online. Edokpayi had opted to travel by train from Agbor to Itakpe after being unable to secure a flight. However, the journey took a frightening turn when the train developed technical issues deep within what he described as an “evil forest”—a location without mobile network coverage and known to be frequented by armed herders.

Faced with uncertainty and no clear timeline for repairs, the passengers made the decision to disembark and begin what Edokpayi called an “endurance trek” through the dense and unfamiliar terrain, hoping to reach the nearest station or settlement. “We became apprehensive,” he said. “We were stranded in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by forest, and with no idea how long the repair would take. So, we decided to start trekking.”

In a surprising twist, Edokpayi praised the Fulani herders they encountered along the way, describing them as friendly and helpful. “Contrary to the fear many of us had, they guided us and showed kindness throughout the walk,” he noted.

The activist called on the federal government to urgently address the reliability and safety of the nation’s transportation systems. “Airlines cancel flights without notice, roads are unsafe due to kidnappers and poor conditions, and now trains are breaking down in forests. May God continue to help us in this country,” he lamented.

This incident revives public concern about the safety of rail travel in Nigeria, coming just three years after the March 2022 Abuja-Kaduna train attack, in which terrorists detonated explosives on the tracks, derailed the train, killed at least eight people, and abducted more than 60 passengers. That attack prompted the Nigerian Railway Corporation to suspend operations on the route and sparked widespread criticism of the federal government’s handling of transport security. Many of the kidnapped passengers were held for months, with their release staggered following negotiations and reported ransom payments.