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Bus/Train Accident: NSIB to release report soon, sign MoU with LASEMA, NRC

The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) says, plans are underway to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) and the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) to 

enhance safety in the rail and road sector.

This is just as the Bureau assured that, investigators had begun investigation into the causal and contributory factors of the March 9, 2023 train and bus accident in Lagos.

The Director General, NSIB, Mr. Akin Olateru Speaking during courtesy visits to the two organizations in Lagos said, its report, which would be made public soon would include safety recommendations to both parties on how a recurrence could be avoided in the future.

At LASEMA he explained that NSIB has well-trained 45 investigators who are deep on investigation of rail and maritime serious incidents and accidents.

“We have 45 well-trained investigators who are well-trained in the United States, Singapore Academy and others. So, we do what we do well. It takes time to carry out investigation”.

“All the accidents and serious incidents that we have investigated in the past, we made them public. There is no hiding of anything, but the thing is we don’t blame anyone. We have the causal and contributory factors that would tell you why the accident happened.”

The Director-General NSIB also sought partnership between NSIB and LASEMA on capacity building, training and exchange of idea.

Earlier, the Permanent Secretary, LASEPA, Dr. Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, in a slide presentation on the train-bus accident said, its officials were at the scene of the accident within 10 minutes while rescue operations commenced immediately.

He sought partnership with NSIB in the areas of training and acquisition of equipment to further increase safety in the sector.

“We wish to partner with your organisation. Let’s partner effectively and efficiently. You can use your money to build us up. You won’t regret it. I pioneered LASEMA in 2005 due to the bomb blast of January 27, 2002, which occurred in Lagos”.

At the NRC, Mr. Olateru also reiterated that the report on the accident would be issued to the public soon.

In his response, Managing Director, NRC, Mr. Fidet Okhiria, expressed delight to work with NSIB, adding that the coming onboard of the bureau would improve safety of lives and equipment, while recurrence would also be prevented.

While lamenting the accident, Mr. Okhiria emphasised that the loss of lives would have been more catastrophic, but for the professional handling of the train driver.

According to him, no fewer than 1,000 passengers were onboard of the train on the day of the incident, stressing that if the train driver had applied the break immediately, the train would have derailed while more lives would have been lost.

“The coming onboard of NSIB into the investigation of accidents in the rail sector will make the job of railway easier. It is a welcome development. We are willing to work with them. This is the direction of the government and we have to abide by it. We will work with them”.

“How does it threaten us? The agency is not a threat to us in anyway; rather, we intend to work with them to make the rail sector safer and better for everyone. This is a law of the land and everyone must obey it”.

However, NSIB, LASEMA and NRC have agreed to set up a committee to work on the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that would further boost the relationship among the organisations

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