The Managing Director of the Nigeria Railway Corporation, Kayode Opeifa, has once more taken “full responsibility” and tendered his apology to the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), for assaulting a reporter of the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), Ladi Bala.
Last Tuesday, six passengers were injured after the Abuja-Kaduna train derailed around Jere in the Federal Capital Territory.
Opeifa, making a public post-accident valuation, said he took “full responsibility” for the accident.
Opeifa tendered his apologies on Sunday for the Journalist’s abuse, directly to reporters at a press conference at the NUJ FCT Secretariat in Abuja.
The NRC MD’s apology comes after NUJ FCT condemned the treatment meted out to its members who were covering the recent Abuja-Kaduna train derailment incident.
NUJ had demanded a public apology from Opeifa over the incident.
The NRC boss, in his apology, said he was carried away in the heat of the moment.
Opeifa said, “I wish to offer my apology for the regrettable remarks I made, which were not only directed at a seasoned journalist but also reflected unfavourably on the NUJ FCT and the Nigeria Association of Women Journalists, NAWOJ.
“Acting in the heat of the moment under pressure, and in my attempt to ensure safety, I made certain unkind statements. For this, I take full responsibility, and I am sorry.”
