Passenger demands N250m compensation after train ran out of fuel

An Ibadan-based lawyer, Barrister Abiodun Amole, has demanded the payment of the sum of N250,000,000 from the Nigerian Railway Corporation, as compensation for alleged negligence and breach of contract.

He threatened to commence legal action against the corporation in court if it fails to pay the money within 30 days.

Abiodun said the legal action was necessary as he was one of the passengers who boarded a train that recently ran out of fuel on its way to Lagos from Ibadan, Oyo State capital.

He described the incident as a clear breach of the implied contract Nigerian Railway Corporation entered into with him, to take him to Lagos on schedule.

Hundreds of passengers on the train were stranded for some time as they had to wait in the middle of nowhere for the delivery of fuel to resume the journey.

This led to apprehension considering the high level of insecurity in the country.

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Amole, in a petition written by his counsel, Olumide Ojedokun and addressed to the Chairman, Nigerian Railway Corporation, explained that he was completely frustrated when the train ran out of fuel.

Ojedokun further revealed in the petition written on behalf of Amole, that the petitioner and other passengers who boarded the train were stranded in the thick forest with all the attendant security implications.

He said his client and other passengers were almost choked to death in the stuffy cabin and were sweating profusely throughout the time the train got stuck.

“Our client and all the other passengers almost choked to death in the stuffy cabin and were all sweating profusely throughout the time the train got stuck. It was indeed hell on earth, to put it mildly. The development, we wish to state constitutes the tort of negligence on the part of your Corporation as well as a clear breach of the implied contract it entered into with our client to take him to Lagos on schedule.

“We have our client’s instructions to demand and we hereby accordingly demand the payment of the sum of N250,000,000 (Two Hundred and Fifty Million Naira) as compensation on behalf of our client to be paid through this chambers within 30 (Thirty) days of your receipt of this letter, failing which we shall have no option than to perfect our client’s further instructions to commence proceedings against the Nigerian Railway Corporation in the court of law for the tort of negligence and/or breach of contract and seek appropriate declaratory reliefs and heavy damages with all the attendant dire consequences, publicity and embarrassment.”