Reps blow hot, issue 48-hour ultimatum to Transportation Minister to appear over train derailment

The House of Representatives Committee on Land Transport has handed a 48-hour deadline to the Minister of Transportation, Said Ahmed Alkali, to appear before it and provide explanations on the recent derailment of a Kaduna-bound train carrying about 618 passengers.

The order came after the minister failed to attend the committee’s investigative hearing on Tuesday in Abuja.

Lawmakers expressed strong displeasure, describing his absence as disrespectful to parliament and insensitive to Nigerians caught up in the accident.

Chairperson of the committee, Hon. Blessing Onuh, said members had cut short their recess and travelled from different parts of the country to attend the session, only to discover that the minister was absent.

“We seriously frown at this because it is one issue that we must take seriously. We are here to investigate the recent rail derailment and the Minister is not here. This is a serious issue because our brothers and sisters were affected,” she said, before adjourning the meeting and insisting that Alkali must appear in person within 48 hours.

Deputy Spokesman of the House, Hon. Phillip Agbese, accused the minister of incompetence and demanded that his conduct be reported directly to President Bola Tinubu. He recalled that the President had earlier cautioned ministers and heads of agencies against ignoring parliamentary summons.

“The action of the Minister is a clear indication that he does not care about what happened to Nigerians… It is because of the gravity of what has happened that we are all here today,” Agbese said.

Another lawmaker, Hon. Cyril Hart, described the minister’s absence as particularly disappointing given his experience as a former parliamentarian. He warned that the derailment, which nearly endangered the lives of over 600 passengers, raised concerns about the quality of Nigeria’s rail infrastructure.

“To stay away when Nigerians need him most is, to say the least, a disservice to the people,” Hart remarked.

The Managing Director of the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC), who attended in the minister’s place, also came under fire from committee members for what they described as a lack of seriousness towards the parliament.

The lawmakers resolved to suspend the investigative hearing until the minister honours the summons, warning that continued defiance could trigger stiffer recommendations, including a formal demand for his removal.