The Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) has issued a stern warning to motorists and tricycle operators to exercise caution at railway crossings following a fatal accident that claimed two lives in Jos, Plateau State.
The tragic incident occurred on Tuesday at the Dogon Karfe level crossing when a tricycle operator, in an apparent bid to beat an oncoming train, drove onto the tracks despite repeated warnings from NRC officials stationed at the site.
The train, which was returning from Bukuru Station, collided with the tricycle, killing the rider and a male passenger instantly.
Confirming the incident, the Public Relations Officer of NRC, Jos Station, Adamu Abdullahi, said two other female passengers sustained injuries and were rushed to a nearby hospital for treatment.
“Our train was coming back to Jos from the Bukuru Station when, at the Dogon Karfe level crossing, one keke NAPEP that was anxious to pass didn’t wait until the train collided with it. Two people died instantly, while two others sustained injuries and are presently receiving treatment in the hospital,” Abdullahi said.
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He explained that NRC officials are routinely deployed to control traffic at level crossings, but warned that disregard for their instructions often leads to preventable tragedies.
The latest accident comes barely three weeks after a similar tragedy in Lagos, where a dispatch rider was crushed to death by a moving train at the PWD Railway Level Crossing in Ikeja.
According to the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), the victim ignored safety barriers while attempting to cross the tracks.
The NRC has reiterated its appeal for greater public awareness and compliance with safety regulations to prevent further loss of lives at railway intersections across the country.
