House of Representatives committee on land transport blows hot as transportation minister shuns parliament invitation over Abuja–Kaduna train derailment
Following the recent derailment of an Abuja–Kaduna bound train carrying 618 passengers, the House of Representatives Committee on Land Transport has issued a 48-hour ultimatum to the Minister of Transportation, Sa’idu Ahmed Alkali, to appear before it.
The committee, visibly angered on Tuesday, suspended its investigative hearing after the minister failed to show up.
Committee Chairperson, Rep. Blessing Onuh, described the minister’s absence as a betrayal of Nigerians in a moment of crisis.
She said: A toad does not run in the daytime for nothing. We are on recess, but many of us cut our break and came all the way from Lagos because of this national tragedy only for the minister to snub the parliament. We take strong exception to this. Our brothers and sisters were endangered. This is not a joke. We are therefore suspending this meeting and mandating the minister to appear in person within 48 hours.”
Deputy spokesman of the House, Rep. Philip Agbese, went further, saying Alkali’s no-show was proof of incompetence and disregard for the Nigerian people.
“This action clearly shows he is not competent to handle the job entrusted to him by the President. It is a dangerous signal that he does not care about the lives of Nigerians or the reputation of this government. The president has warned that no minister or agency head should ignore parliament. This minister has chosen contempt. If he fails to show up, Nigerians should know there is effectively no minister of transportation in this country.” Agbese declared
Another member, Rep. Cyril Hart, expressed disappointment that Alkali, himself a former lawmaker, would disregard the legislature.
“Over 618 Nigerians could have died. This raises grave questions about the integrity of our rail system. For a former parliamentarian to dishonour the House at such a time is a betrayal,” he said.
The committee unanimously resolved to halt proceedings until Alkali appears, warning that if the snub continues, the matter would be escalated directly to the president.
Parliament Reports recalls that the Abuja–Kaduna train derailment occurred on August 26, 2025, at approximately 11:09 a.m. between Kubwa station and Asham station. The Kaduna-bound passenger train derailed shortly after leaving Abuja, causing panic among passengers but with no fatalities reported.
The Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) and Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) launched investigations, with the cause initially linked to an operational error involving a faulty point machine, which has since been fixed. The Federal Government is expected to release a detailed report on the cause by September 23, 2025.
