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 over the recent Abuja–Kaduna train derailment that endangered the lives of 618 passengers.
The committee, chaired by Hon. Blessing Onuh, expressed outrage after the minister failed to honor an investigative hearing on the incident. Onuh described his absence as “an insult to Nigerians,” noting that many lawmakers cut short their recess to attend the session. She announced the suspension of the hearing until the minister appears in person.
Lawmakers who spoke during the session accused Alkali of negligence and disregard for parliamentary oversight. Deputy House Spokesman Philip Agbese described the minister’s conduct as evidence of incompetence, stressing that President Bola Tinubu had already warned ministers against ignoring National Assembly summons.
“If the minister refuses to appear, it simply means Nigeria has no Minister of Transportation,” Agbese declared.
Also speaking, Rep. Cyril Hart condemned Alkali’s absence, saying it betrayed public trust, especially as the minister is a former lawmaker himself. He added that the derailment, which nearly claimed hundreds of lives, raises urgent concerns about the integrity of the nation’s rail infrastructure.
The committee warned that failure by the minister to appear within 48 hours would force it to escalate the matter to the President.