Just four days after resuming operations, the Warri–Itakpe train service has been suspended following a derailment incident on Saturday evening. The Nigeria Railway Corporation (NRC) confirmed that two of the seven coaches derailed at Kilometre 212+8m in Agbor, Delta State, around 7:30 PM. This unfortunate event occurred shortly after the service had officially recommenced on October 29, 2025, following an earlier suspension that began on August 2 due to various technical faults and necessitated urgent track repairs.

Kayode Opeifa, the Managing Director of the NRC, stated that preliminary investigations suggest the derailment may have resulted from suspected track vandalism. Despite the serious nature of the incident, Mr. Opeifa assured the public that all passengers on board were safely evacuated to Agbor, and everyone was fully accounted for, with no casualties or injuries recorded. He also mentioned that a recovery team, supported by security personnel, has been at the site since the incident, with recovery operations progressing steadily and expected to be completed soon.

As a precautionary measure, train services on the Warri–Itakpe corridor have been temporarily suspended to enable a comprehensive security and safety audit of the track and related infrastructure. The NRC expressed regret for any inconvenience caused and assured that normal operations would resume as soon as it is verified safe to do so. This incident highlights a recurring challenge for Nigeria's railway system, as more than 188 rail-related incidents have been recorded between 2020 and 2025, many of which are linked to vandalism by scavengers and organised criminal syndicates.

The Warri–Itakpe route, spanning over 300 kilometres, is the longest of Nigeria’s three modern train services, alongside the Lagos–Ibadan and Abuja–Kaduna lines. The recent derailment also brings to mind a similar incident about two months prior, involving the Abuja-Kaduna train, where seven passengers sustained varying degrees of injury. Such problems are not peculiar to the Warri-Itakpe section, as the efficient performance of Nigeria's inter-state trains, managed mostly by the federal government agency NRC, is continually hindered by vandalism, old and poorly maintained facilities, sabotage, and terrorism.