… Names Ladi Bala Ambassador for Media Advocacy
The Managing Director of the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC), Dr. Kayode Opeifa, has publicly apologized to the Nigerian media for verbally assaulting Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) journalist, Comrade Ladi Bala, during her coverage of a train derailment along the Abuja–Kaduna rail corridor.
Speaking at a press conference held at the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) FCT Council Secretariat in Abuja on Sunday, Dr. Opeifa admitted his remarks, made under intense pressure while managing the crisis, were regrettable and never intended as hostility towards the press.
Comrade Bala, a seasoned journalist and immediate past President of the Nigerian Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ), was reportedly subjected to unprovoked verbal attacks by the NRC boss at the scene of the accident. The NUJ FCT Council strongly condemned Opeifa’s conduct, describing it as dehumanizing and a violation of press freedom.
In his apology, Dr. Opeifa stated:
“I sincerely apologize for the remarks I made, which were directed at a respected journalist and reflected poorly on both the NUJ FCT and NAWOJ. Acting under pressure and in the heat of the moment, I uttered some unkind words for which I take full responsibility.”
To recognize Comrade Bala’s resilience and professionalism despite the incident, Dr. Opeifa conferred on her the honorary title of “Ambassador for Media Advocacy.”
Explaining the derailment, the MD disclosed that eight coaches and one locomotive were affected, with 618 passengers on board. About 20 passengers sustained injuries, including seven in critical condition.
He noted that NRC’s revised emergency protocol was immediately activated, engaging agencies such as the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Federal Ministry of Health, Kaduna State Government, FCT Administration, and the Nigerian military.
Within 45 minutes, replacement coaches were provided to evacuate stranded passengers, while NRC officials began passenger tracing through the manifest. Dr. Opeifa personally visited at least seven injured passengers.
He praised the swift intervention of the Nigerian Army, Air Force, police, local vigilantes, and medical teams, noting that their combined efforts saved lives at the scene. Engineers have since cleared two coaches and one locomotive from the crash site and laid 50 meters of new track to aid recovery.
Dr. Opeifa tendered a direct apology to Comrade Bala, the NTA, NAWOJ, and the wider journalism community, stressing his long history as a human rights and trade union activist.
“I have fought alongside journalists before; I am not their enemy,” he said.
Highlighting NRC’s gender-inclusive policies, he noted that half of the corporation’s management directors are women, promoted strictly on merit. He also announced the creation of a new Customer Service and Relations Department to strengthen passenger engagement and media collaboration.
The NRC, he said, remains committed to expanding rail access across Nigeria, citing the reactivation of the Jos–Bukuru line, expansion of the Lagos–Ibadan corridor, and plans to connect major ports such as Tin Can, Warri, and Onne to the rail network.
NUJ FCT Council Chairperson, Comrade Grace Ike, welcomed the apology but stressed that the council maintains zero tolerance for intimidation of journalists.
“We will persist in defending our members’ rights and freedom of speech. With Comrade Ladi Bala as NRC’s Ambassador for Media Advocacy, we expect increased campaigns promoting the welfare and safety of journalists, especially in the FCT,” she said.
Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Special Duties, Tunde Rahman, praised Dr. Opeifa’s humility in tendering the apology and pledged stronger collaboration between the presidency, the NRC, and the media.