‘It’s avoidable’ — Falana blames NRC for Lagos train accident

Femi Falana, a senior advocate of Nigeria (SAN), says the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) should be blamed for train accidents in Lagos.

In a statement on Wednesday, Falana said accidents along the Lagos railway tracks could be avoided if barriers were constructed across all railway crossings.

TheCable had reported how a train collided with a passenger bus in the Shogunle area of Oshodi in Lagos on March 9.

Two passengers were said to have died at the scene, while several others sustained injuries in the accident.

The human rights lawyer argued that while the police had announced that the driver of the passenger bus was arrested, the management of the NRC should also be charged for the criminal negligence that led to the accident.

“If compensation is not paid as soon as possible, the Lagos state government should direct the ministry of justice to approach the Lagos state high court for legal redress on behalf of the survivors and legal representatives of those who were killed in the accident as both the ill-fated train and the BRT bus are insured,” he said

“However, the advice of Mr. Okhiria to Lagosians to be more careful when passing through the level crossing is not the solution to the incessant killing of motorists and passengers by trains. Such advice will not prevent the occurrence of similar accidents in the future.

“The federal government should compel the management of the NRC to erect metal barriers in all railway level crossings in order to regulate the movement of traffic and avert the incessant deaths recorded at railway level crossings in the country. ”