Rail advocacy group, African Railway Roundtable, has described the sudden death, on Sunday, of the Chief Security Officer to the Nigerian Transportation Minister, Tony Iwelu, as “a deeply sad incident”. It commiserated with the minister, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Amaechi, and the late officer’s family.

In a statement on Tuesday signed by the ARR director, Olawale Rasheed, the group described the late security officer as “an effective and dependable official who discharged his duties with highest level of professionalism.”

ARR said: “We know the deceased to be a loyal public servant and a close confidant of the minister who is breaking multiple jinx within the Nigerian rail sector. His supportive role to the minister accounts for his being so long in service of his principal. We sympathise with the minister at this very sad moment.

“We condole with the family and his organisation, the Nigerian Department of State Service. The deceased served the fatherland so well and his name will not be missing when the great achievements of the minister in the railway sector is being recorded.”