NRC Boss Apologises for Assault On Journalist, Names Ladi Bala Ambassador For Media Advocacy
The Managing Director of the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC), Dr Kayode Opeifa, has publicly apologised to NTA journalist Comrade Ladi Bala and the Nigerian media community after verbally assaulting her while she covered last week’s Abuja–Kaduna train derailment.
In a rare gesture of reconciliation, Dr Opeifa also conferred on Bala, the immediate past president of the Nigerian Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ) the honorary title of Ambassador for Media Advocacy, praising her resilience and professionalism despite the incident.
Speaking at a press conference on Sunday at the NUJ FCT Secretariat in Abuja, the NRC chief admitted his remarks were “regrettable” and made under intense pressure while managing rescue operations.
He apologised directly to Bala, NTA, NAWOJ, and the wider journalism community, stressing: “I have fought alongside journalists before; I am not their enemy.”
The NUJ FCT Council had earlier condemned Opeifa’s conduct as “dehumanising” and “a serious violation of press freedom”.
Chairperson Comrade Grace Ike welcomed the apology as a step toward rebuilding trust but vowed the union would maintain its zero tolerance for harassment and intimidation of journalists.
Opeifa explained that the derailment involved eight coaches and one locomotive with 618 passengers on board.
Around 20 people were injured, seven critically. Replacement coaches were quickly dispatched, while contact tracing began within 45 minutes. He personally visited several of the injured in hospital.
The MD praised the swift response of the Nigerian Army, Air Force, police, NEMA, medical teams, and local volunteers, saying their intervention saved lives.
By Saturday, engineers had already cleared two coaches and the locomotive, laying 50 metres of new track to aid recovery.
Highlighting NRC’s broader progress, Opeifa noted recent expansions on the Lagos–Ibadan corridor, reactivation of the Jos–Bukuru line, and plans to connect ports in Lagos, Warri and Onne.
He also announced a new Customer Service and Relations Department, which has already contacted over 400 passengers affected by the Kaduna derailment.
Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media, Tunde Rahman, who attended the briefing, commended Opeifa’s humility in offering a public apology, describing it as a model for stronger collaboration between the presidency, NRC and the media.
Comrade Grace Ike added: “With Ladi Bala as the NRC’s Ambassador for Media Advocacy, we anticipate greater media engagement and campaigns to protect and promote the welfare of Nigerian journalists.”