Tag: Train

  • Nigeria will experience good train system with Lagos red rail lines – Seyi Law

    Comedian Seyi Law is elated about the red rail lines as well as the opportunities and status it’ll accord Lagos State upon completion, stating Nigerians would finally be able to…

  • Forgive me, Lagos BRT driver in train crash begs victims

    Forgive me, Lagos BRT driver in train crash begs victims

    The driver of the Lagos State Government staff bus that was involved in the incident that led to a train colliding with the bus at the PWD/ Shogunle railway line, on the Agege motor road in Lagos, on Thursday, has appealed to victims of the accident to forgive him.

    The PUNCH reports that some survivors said the 44-year-old driver, Oluwaseun Osinbajo, had his earpiece on while driving and ignored the directive of the Flag Officers at the rail line.
    The driver, however, blamed the incident on a mechanical fault in the bus.

    The driver, who works with the Lagos State Ministry of Transport, was also said to have been transferred to the State Criminal Intelligence and Investigations Department.

    He was said to be overheard narrating to some of his relatives who were waiting for him there.

    “It was not my fault. How could I have ignored warning signs? The bus had a mechanical fault,” The Vanguard newspaper quoted him as saying.

    “It is a pity this has happened. I beg everyone affected to please forgive me in the name of God.”

    The PUNCH reports that streaks of dried blood, broken glass, and wrung metal plates lined the rail tracks right opposite the PWD Bus Station, Shogunle, Ikeja.

    Trapped in the squashed vehicle were sweaty faces, tired breaths, and bloodied bodies, struggling to find their way out to the rays of the morning light above.

    Earlier, residents watched in shock how an oncoming train collided with a staff bus, filled with passengers en route to the Alausa Secretariat, Ikeja, from Ikotun, pushing them metres away before coming to a halt.

    Saturday PUNCH also gathered that the driver of the BRT had veered into the rail track despite signs from the level crossing flag bearers and other motorists urging him not to do so as a train was oncoming.

    Emergency responders had conveyed many of the casualties to the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, Ikeja GRA.

    About 79 of 85 passengers on the bus were revived and treated for different injuries and subsequently transferred to Gbagada General Hospital, Agege General Hospital, and the trauma centre at the toll gate area of the state.

    Speaking to journalists shortly after visiting the injured at LASUTH, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu disclosed that 85 people were involved in the accident out of which 42 had moderate injuries, 29 had serious injuries, and eight with mild injuries.

  • Lagos train crash: LASUTH received 102 victims, says CMD

    Lagos train crash: LASUTH received 102 victims, says CMD

    Grace Edema

    The Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, Ikeja, has said it received 102 victims of the PWD train-bus crash for treatment.

    The Chief Medical Director, LASUTH, Prof. Adetokunbo Fabamwo, who said the experience was overwhelming, narrated that early Thursday morning, around 8 am, his hospital received 85 victims at once, adding that the institution embarked on open space treatment also known as triage, which was world best practice in mass emergencies.

    He explained that triage was the option because the hospital only had 30-bed spaces at the emergency unit with patients.

    Fabamwo, in an interview with our correspondent, said six deaths had been recorded, adding that six victims were also operated upon.

    He said, “As concerns our 85 victims, two died on the spot at the accident scene, three of them died while we were trying to resuscitate them because they had very serious injuries, one of them who was bleeding internally that we took to the theatre didn’t make it. So, four died in the hospital making a total of 6 fatalities now. As we speak, another 17 causalities have been brought to us, making a total of 102 casualties. ”

    A statement by the Lagos State Ministry of Information stated that a triage centre was set up by the management of LASUTH by erecting an emergency canopy.

    “Patients were triaged into mild, moderate, and severe groups. Those with life-threatening injuries were immediately transferred to operating theatres, for stabilisation and fracture repair by specialists in these areas within LASUTH,” it read.

    Some of the victims were also taken to some of the hospitals around LASUTH so as to reduce the pressure on the institution.

    It further read, “Moderate cases like simple fractures and lacerations were transferred to the nearest General Hospitals such as Gbagada General Hospital, Orile Agege General Hospital, Lagos Island General Hospital and the Trauma Centre at the Toll Gate. Mild patients were admitted to the surgical ward at LASUTH. Emergency blood transfusion service was also activated by our Lagos State Blood Transfusion Service Agency and we were able to mobilise blood and blood products from our blood donors and storage to stabilise pre, during, and post-operation patients and procedures.”

    A victim of the accident, Toyin Lasisi, who works with Dynamic Recoveries, Alausa, said she joined the bus at Ikotun bus stop around 6 am.

    Lasisi, who sustained injuries on her legs and arms after jumping out of the bus, revealed that she was treated at LASUTH with three packs of drips.

    “I joined the bus at 6 am and the driver was the regular driver of the bus, so this was not the first time he is driving on that road. I think it was just a mistake for not waiting to allow the train to pass.

    “I have been treated and I was given three drips. People also came out en mass to rescue us; the ambulance also arrived on time. I jumped out of the bus immediately after the accident happened, it was so much pain but some people couldn’t jump out.”

    Copyright Reportr Door

    All rights reserved. This material, and other digital content on this website, may not be reproduced, published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in whole or in part without prior express written permission from Reportr Door.

    Contact: [email protected] 

  • Lagos seeks voluntary blood donors for Ikeja train crash victims

    Lagos seeks voluntary blood donors for Ikeja train crash victims

    Yusuff Moshood

    The Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has urged residents to come to the aid of victims of the Ikeja train crash by visiting government medical facilities to donate blood.

    According to the governor, some of the patients are in critical condition, hence the call for voluntary blood donation to help in the treatment of survivors of the accident.

    The Reportr Door HealthWise reported that an unspecified number of people were injured while some yet-to-be-confirmed number of people were reported dead after a passenger train crushed a Lagos State Government staff bus in the PWD area of the state.

    The accident happened around 7 am on Thursday.

    In a series of tweets on his official Twitter handle @jidesanwoolu, governor Sanwo-Olu after visiting LASUTH to see the victims of the accident said some patients are in critical condition.

    “It is still a critical period for some of the patients as we continue to call for blood donations across different state government medical facilities. This is a call for our humanity to rise above all,” he said.

    The governor stated that he was at LASUTH to understand the condition of the victims of the bus/train accident. 

    He said, “The team at LASUTH expertly set up an outdoor triage centre which has contributed to saving lives, speeding up injury level profiling, and supporting immediate critical action. Lagos is in a state of mourning for the next three days. I am suspending all campaign activities. All flags will be flown at half mast and tomorrow all civil servants will work till 12 noon before returning home to be with their loved ones during this trying time.

    “It is still a critical period for some of the patients as we continue to call for blood donations across different state government medical facilities. This is a call for our humanity to rise above all. I also thank LASEMA, the security agencies, staff, and students of LASUTH. I am deeply saddened by the news of the train/bus accident. The vehicle was conveying staff of the Lagos state government, our staff who serve the state in different capacities. Let’s say a prayer for the families and a prayer of mercy and protection for our state.

    “My thoughts are with the victims and their families during this difficult time. A big thank you to well-meaning Lagosians who immediately joined in rescue efforts. Our first responders and emergency services are on the ground and we will share more information shortly”.

    Copyright Reportr Door

    All rights reserved. This material, and other digital content on this website, may not be reproduced, published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in whole or in part without prior express written permission from Reportr Door.

    Contact: [email protected] 

  • FG orders investigation bureau to probe Lagos train crash

    FG orders investigation bureau to probe Lagos train crash

     

    The Federal Government has directed the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau to launch an immediate investigation into the root cause of the collision between a train and a staff bus of the Lagos State Government that occurred in the Ikeja area of the state on Thursday.

    The directive was revealed by the Minister of Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika, in a tweet via his handle, @hadisirika.

    The minister expressed his condolences to those affected by the tragedy and prayed for a quick recovery for those injured.

    Sirika also urged the public to cooperate with NSIB’s investigation team.

    He wrote, “My heart goes out to those who lost their lives in today’s train crash and those who got injured as well as the Government and people of Lagos.

    “Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau experts have been directed to move quickly. We solicit public cooperation as the investigation commences”

    The PUNCH had earlier reported that two people were killed and many others injured when a moving train crashed into a BRT bus at the PWD bus stop in Ikeja area of Lagos State on Thursday morning.

    The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority’s Director of Public Affairs and Enlightenment Department, Taofiq Adebayo, affirmed that rescue operations were still underway with many casualties expected due to the fully loaded bus carrying members of staff from Ikotun en route to Alausa, the state secretariat.

    An eyewitness who visited the Optical section at Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, but preferred not to be named, described the incident as ‘pathetic’, saying she saw people drenched in blood being brought in trucks like ‘pure water’.

    All rights reserved. This material, and other digital content on this website, may not be reproduced, published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in whole or in part without prior express written permission from PUNCH.

    Contact: [email protected]

  • Ongoing rescue efforts at train, Lagos govt staff bus collisi

    Ongoing rescue efforts at train, Lagos govt staff bus collisi

    First respondents and Lagos State authorities are currently working on rescuing victims of an accident involving a Lagos State Government staff bus with registration no 04A- 48LA  and a moving train at PWD, Ikeja area of the state.

    The Director, the Public Affairs and Enlightenment Department of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, Adebayo Taofiq, confirmed the accident in a statement.

    “The accident recorded many casualties as the staff bus is fully loaded with govt staff going to the office this morning,” the statement added.

    See photos of the ongoing rescue below:

    All rights reserved. This material, and other digital content on this website, may not be reproduced, published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in whole or in part without prior express written permission from PUNCH.

    Contact: [email protected]

  • Waiting for Blue Line Train

    Lagosians are excited. Many of them have boarded the train as the government embarked on a two-month test drive. They can’t wait for commercial operation to commence, writes ADEYINKA ADERIBIGBE…

  • Council reviews training as 14,000 nurses join Japa train

    Council reviews training as 14,000 nurses join Japa train

    Peter Dada

    The Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria on Wednesday lamented the rate at which the country is losing its professional nurses and midwives to foreign countries.

    The council disclosed that over 14,000 nurses had left Nigeria for “greener pastures” in many countries across the world.

    The Secretary-General/Registrar of the Council, Dr. Faruk Abubakar, disclosed this at the opening of a retreat for top management of the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria in Akure, the Ondo State capital on Thursday.

    As part of the solutions to arrest the ugly trend, Abubakar said the council had introduced a two-year community nursing and midwifery programme to provide a nursing workforce at the grassroots.

    He explained, “We come to strategically introduce the Community Nursing and Midwifery Programme so that these younger, lower cadres of nurses are retained in the community and continue to discharge their nursing and midwifery care. After two years of service in rural communities, they can always continue their education.”

    He also noted that part of the strategies to curb the effect of the exodus of nurses in the country was to increase the admission quota in schools, grant approval for the establishment of more colleges of nursing and accredit nursing departments in eligible universities in the country.

    He added that a five-year strategic plan for 2023 to 2027 had been developed by the council, and “the implementation is starting this year to address critical areas of nursing education and practice.”

    The registrar expressed appreciation to the state government for putting in place a health insurance scheme, which he said would improve health care service delivery in the state.

    In his remarks, Ondo State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Banji Ajaka, appealed to the top management of the NMCN to mitigate the rate at which nurses quit the service for greener pastures.

    Ajaka said the government shared the vision of the council’s retreat, which is to enable it to review its past activities and plan adequately for the years ahead.

    Copyright Reportr Door

    All rights reserved. This material, and other digital content on this website, may not be reproduced, published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in whole or in part without prior express written permission from Reportr Door.

    Contact: [email protected] 

     

  • Osun free train service not cancelled, says govt

    Osun free train service not cancelled, says govt

    The Osun State Government on Sunday said its free train service for holiday makers during festive periods has not been cancelled.

    The government also said the new administration of Senator Ademola Adeleke could not however provide the service this festive period due to certain challenges it encountered towards planning and execution of the initiative.

    For the first time since year 2011, free train service sponsored by the state government for people coming to Osun State from Lagos and Ogun to celebrate Christmas and new year, was not provided.

    The initiative, introduced by the administration of former Governor Rauf Aregbesola, ran throughout his tenure as governor, while his successor, Adegboyega Oyetola, also continued with it when he became governor in 2018. 

    The spokesperson for the governor, Olawale Rasheed, in a reaction to enquiry on the train service, further said, “His Excellency (Senator Ademola Adeleke) promised to continue any good initiative of the previous government. 

    “The circumstances of the assumption of office however creates little hiccups in the planning and execution. So for the free ride, it is not cancelled. 

    “The challenges are the teething problems associated with a new government just settling down.”

    All rights reserved. This material, and other digital content on this website, may not be reproduced, published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in whole or in part without prior express written permission from PUNCH.

    Contact: [email protected]

  • Red Rail Train: Lagos settles Ogun landlords

    Red Rail Train: Lagos settles Ogun landlords

    landlords

    Landlords of the two Ogun State communities – Agbado and Ope-Ilu – who are affected by the Lagos Red Line Rail project, last week, got fully paid by the Lagos State Government for their lands which was taken over for the actualisation of the Red Rail Line. ADEYINKA ADERIBIGBE writes.

    Over 180 landlords, whose houses are affected by the construction of the Agbado Train Station and stabling yard of the Red Line Rail, were last week paid by the Lagos State Government.

    The payment brought a closure to fears from the landlords who had thought they may never get anything for their properties pulled down by the Lagos State.

    They recalled that those affected in the Ogba-Iyo-Ijoko-Alagbole-Akute road/bridge construction demolition, since 2013, were yet to be paid a dime. Their fears were further kindled when all affected tenants in the two communities, were, about two months ago, paid and they left, leaving their landlords at the mercy of touts who seized the opportunity of the desolation to lay siege on the two towns.

    Worse for these landlords, was that many, who had given their consent to the Lagos State Government rail system had voluntarily pulled down their structures. Many had sold all their valuables including doors, windows, roofing sheets, curtains and beddings, hoping to recover once they get paid their compensation.

    A red herring was thrown into the wedge when one of the residents, Joseph Akinola had approached the court to frustrate efforts to get the affected landlords compensated. But led by the Baales of the two communities and the Iyalode of Agbado Chief Mrs Esther Adebimpe, a large number of the affected landlords had appealed to the Lagos State government to without prejudice to the matter in court, go address and pay all those who had accepted their lot and are ready to be compensated.

    For these set of people, their waiting was eventually over last week as the Lagos State Government through the Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA) moved in and effected the payment of compensation to them.

    The payment, it was gathered, became epochal, as it was the first to be executed in the spirit of the Lagos-Ogun Joint Development Commission.

    The compensation exercise was also jointly supervised by officials of the Ogun State Lands Bureau and Survey Department and LAMATA.

    It followed the revocation of the affected land titles by the Governor of Ogun State, Prince Dayo Abiodun.

    The head, Acquisition and Compensation Department in the Lands Bureau and Survey, Ogun State, Mrs. Oluwaseun Oluwasusi, who represented the Ogun State Government, informed beneficiaries that the compensation was paid following the successful presentation of the revocation notice to each of the property owner and their consent to support the government on the rail development project.

    She expressed the appreciation of Governor Abiodun for their cooperation and understanding, stating that the rail project would make commuting between the two states seamless, improve their lifestyle and reduce the stress associated with commuting between Ogun and Lagos states.

    On his part, LAMATA’s Consultant, Corporate Communication Mr. Kolawole Ojelabi, who represented the Managing Director of LAMATA, Engr. (Mrs). Abimbola Akinajo, expressed the appreciation of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to the Ogun State Government for facilitating the acquisition of land in Agbado and Ope-Ilu for the Agbado Train Station and Stabling Yard respectively.

    He said both states had meticulously looked at the landed space needed for the project to ensure that people affected are adequately compensated to ease their relocation.

    “About two months ago, we paid tenants. Today, it is the turn of landlords. This is to prove to you that the government is serious about compensation. On behalf of the governments of Lagos and Ogun states, I want to appeal to you to promptly vacate the areas the government had acquired and paid for, so we could build the infrastructure for the rail line.

    “We are currently running behind schedule because this rail line is expected to commence operation by the first quarter of 2023,” Ojelabi added.

    The payment of compensation for acquired land had usually been the bane of governments to provide life changing infrastructure for its teeming people.

    Besides the train station, Lagos State  is expected to build a stabling yard between Agbado and Ope-Ilu where the rolling stock would take off or land at and would be available to store rail vehicles while they are not being loaded or unloaded or are waiting to be assembled into trains.

    A stabling yard and a rail yard is a series of rail networks for storing, sorting or loading and unloading rail vehicles and locomotives.

    Yards have many tracks in parallel for keeping rolling stock or unused locomotives stored off the main line, so that they do not obstruct the flow of traffic. Cars or wagons are moved around in a stabling yard by switchers or shunters, a type of locomotive.

    The 37-kilometre red rail line, which is expected to carry about 1.5 million passengers when fully on stream, is expected to traverse the national standard gauge from Agbado to Oyingbo, in the first phase. The second phase is expected to take off from Oyingbo to Marina to join the Blue Line interchange, with the first phase beginning from Mile 2 to Marina.

    The Red Line has no fewer than eight stations and two stabling yards – Oyingbo Station (with a stabling yard). Other stations are at; Yaba, Mushin, (with an overpass at Ogunmokun and Kayode Streets), Oshodi, (which is expected to connect with Terminal Three), Shogunle, Ikeja (an iconic train station with a skywalk into the local wing of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport). Others are; Agege, Iju, and Agbado stations (with the second stabling yard).

    With the Agbado Station and the stabling yard yet to take-off, and the heat of politicking already setting in, it is hard to imagine the project meeting up with the scheduled inauguration by first quarter next year.

    The project which started in April 2021 has however proved the will of the Babajide Sanwo-Olu administration to take bold steps in changing the narratives around transportation and ensuring the opening of the transportation ecosystem in the state to include rail transit services from the choking single road-reliance mode, with its attendant gridlock and congestion across the state.