. Akpabio: Those who allegedly mismanaged trillions of naira then, now plotting to return to power

Sunday Aborisade in Abuja

The Senate on Tuesday resolved to conduct a full-scale investigation into the railway projects executed under former President Muhammadu Buhari, following persistent derailments, vandalism and mechanical failures on the Itakpe–Warri standard gauge rail line.

The red chamber also set up an ad hoc committee to carry out a comprehensive probe into the contracts, funding and execution of all railway projects undertaken during the Muhammadu Buhari era and to submit a report within six weeks.

Members of the panel include Senators Adams Oshiomhole, Huseini Babaginda, Adamu Aliero, Wasiu Eshinlokun, Osita Ngwu, Adeola Solomon, Ibrahim Dankwabo, Ireti Kingibe and Sahabi Yau.

The Senate’s resolution followed a motion sponsored by Senator Ede Dafinone (Delta Central), who raised alarm over the “disturbing and persistent technical breakdowns” on the Itakpe–Warri rail corridor, one of the flagship projects of the Buhari administration.

Dafinone said the line, inaugurated with great national fanfare just a few years ago, had become a source of embarrassment and danger due to frequent derailments and service disruptions. 

He disclosed that the line recorded no fewer than 10 derailments and several breakdowns between 2023 and 2025, incidents that have endangered passengers and eroded public confidence in Nigeria’s rail system.

He therefore urged the Federal Ministry of Transportation and the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) to immediately undertake an independent technical assessment of the line to determine the root causes of the failures and implement corrective measures. 

Dafinone further recommended that the NRC increase operational capacity, deploy more coaches and ensure at least two passenger services daily in each direction between Ujevwu and Itakpe.

Supporting the motion, Senator Abdul Ningi (Bauchi Central) described the situation as a national embarrassment. 

Ningi said: “The government borrowed billions of dollars to construct these lines, yet they are collapsing barely two years after completion.

“This is not about politics. We must hold those responsible accountable for negligence and mismanagement.”

Senator Patrick Ndubueze (Imo North) called for a complete reorganisation of the NRC, saying the corporation “is no longer fit for purpose”. 

He argued that the decay in the rail system was placing undue pressure on Nigerian roads. 

“Our highways are failing because freight that should move by rail is transported by road. Fixing the railways will save lives and preserve our roads,” he said.

Senator Solomon Adeola (Ogun West) also backed the motion, urging a transparent probe into how much was borrowed and spent on the projects, the contractors involved, and whether due process was followed. 

“We must find out whether this is a case of poor workmanship, corruption, or lack of supervision,” he said.

Senator Babangida Hussaini (Jigawa North-West) blamed Nigeria’s chronic project failures on poor conception and maintenance culture. 

“The same Chinese firms that built the Mombasa–Nairobi railway in Kenya delivered a functional system that still works efficiently. Why is ours collapsing within months?” he asked.

However, the debate took a dramatic turn when Senate President Godswill Akpabio, who presided over the session, delivered a fiery address accusing those who mismanaged the railway projects under Buhari of gross incompetence and deceit.

Akpabio said it was “shocking” that some of the same individuals responsible for the failures were now warming up to take power from President Bola Tinubu in 2027, despite having left behind what he described as “a trail of waste, debt and deception”.

Akpabio said: “You’ll be shocked that the same people. The same people that did this were lying. They are the same people now seeking to take back the government by revolution. 

“The same characters, without remorse, without answering questions, are the ones now seeking to take back the government after leaving this kind of mess behind, with the amount of indebtedness they caused the country.”

Visibly angered, Akpabio questioned how a project that cost “trillions of naira” could begin to fail within months of inauguration. 

He said: “You spend trillions on rail lines, you commission them, and within one year you have all sorts of mechanical faults. 

“We must find out whether these were truly new lines or refurbished scraps bought and repainted as new. Nigerians deserve to know the truth.”

The Senate President drew comparisons with similar projects abroad built by the same contractors that have remained functional for decades, describing Nigeria’s failures as “a tragic symbol of corruption and poor oversight”.

He also clarified that most of the derailments recorded in 2023 and 2024 occurred before the Tinubu administration took office, saying it would be unfair to blame the current government for inherited problems. 

“These derailments started before we came. This government inherited a failed system,” Akpabio said.

At the end of the debate, the Senate adopted far-reaching resolutions mandating the Ministry of Transportation and the NRC to immediately repair the Itakpe–Warri rail line, improve safety measures and deploy additional rolling stock to restore full operations.

The upper chamber also empowered its Committee on Land Transport to carry out an on-the-spot assessment of the affected routes, particularly around Agbor in Delta State, and to submit a detailed technical report.

It further resolved that the committee should conduct a comprehensive investigation into all railway projects executed during the Buhari administration, including funding sources, contract awards and construction standards.

The lawmakers also endorsed the establishment of a National Rail Safety and Standards Unit to carry out periodic audits, enforce compliance with international best practices, and enhance accountability across the railway sector.

Closing the session, Akpabio vowed that the Senate would “dig deep, expose corruption and ensure that those who mismanaged Nigeria’s rail projects are held to account”.

He declared: “We owe Nigerians the truth. We must unravel the mystery behind these failing rail lines and ensure that those who ruined them do not escape scrutiny, or return to power to repeat the same mistakes.”

The resolution marks one of the boldest oversight steps by the 10th Senate, signaling a renewed determination to hold public officials accountable for the country’s ailing infrastructure.

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