Opeifa calls for state partnership on rail security

The Managing Director of the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC), Dr Kayode Opeifa, has urged state governments to strengthen collaboration with the Railway Police to protect rail infrastructure across the country.

Opeifa spoke during an interview on the Sunrise Daily programme on Channels Television on Saturday, where he stressed that the protection of rail lines and facilities must be treated as a shared responsibility between federal and state authorities.

He said the Railway Police currently operates in 26 states and should be recognised by state governments as part of their security architecture.

According to him, rail infrastructure forms a vital mobility corridor that passes through many states and must be protected as a national asset.

Opeifa noted that stronger cooperation between states and federal security agencies would improve surveillance, protect rail assets and guarantee safer train operations.

He also assured passengers that security along the Abuja-Kaduna train service remains strong, noting that train movements and station activities are monitored from a central control room.

According to him, the corporation plans to replicate similar security and monitoring arrangements on other rail lines across the country.

Beyond security, Opeifa said the constitutional amendment that moved railway from the Exclusive List to the Concurrent List has opened the door for states such as Lagos, Kano, Ogun and Plateau to participate more actively in railway development.

He added that his priority as managing director is to position the corporation as a driver of national integration and economic growth while aligning operations with international best practices.

“Railway is an enabler of growth,” he said, noting that federal investments in rail projects across strategic states were driven by their economic importance.

Opeifa also disclosed that the corporation has developed a national rail map showing how state rail systems can connect with the national network to improve connectivity.

Speaking on developments along the Eastern corridor, he described the Enugu main railway station as a massive facility with underground structures, recalling that the corridor once contributed significantly to national revenue.

Looking ahead, he said the corporation plans to electrify major rail corridors within the next five years, beginning with routes in Warri and Lagos where gas availability could support power generation for electric rail operations.

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