Passengers sustained injuries on Monday morning after a train operating on the Abuja-Kaduna rail corridor was involved in an incident that forced the service to halt midway through the journey.
The passenger train travelling from Kaduna to Abuja failed to reach its destination as scheduled after the disruption occurred along the busy rail line linking the Federal Capital Territory with Kaduna State.
Passengers on board said the incident happened suddenly, sending shock and panic through the coaches as the train came to an abrupt halt.
Some passengers reported hearing a loud bang before the train jolted violently, throwing several occupants off their seats and causing confusion inside the coaches.
According to the eyewitness accounts, the Abuja-bound train reportedly collided with another train along the corridor, forcing rail operations to stop temporarily while the situation was assessed.
Reports gathered that a number of passengers were injured, with some reportedly sustaining cuts and bruises after being flung against seats and metal fittings inside the train compartments.
A social media user, Sada Malumfashi, who claimed to be one of the passengers, described the frightening moment shortly after disembarking from the train, explaining that the sudden jolt caught many people unprepared.
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The passenger who posted on his X account stressed that the train remained stationary for about 30 minutes before the journey resumed slowly towards Kubwa, an area on the outskirts of Abuja.
He said, “Just dropped from the Kaduna-Abuja train. We heard a loud bang, and the train jolted to a stop, flinging people across. Passengers got hit, and most are bleeding and severely injured. The train was delayed for some 30 minutes and resumed to Kubwa. No communication from @info_NRC on anything.”
The Nigerian Railway Corporation has confirmed that several passengers were injured.
The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Corporation, Kayode Opeifa, in a statement, said the incident occurred at about 10:30 a.m. and involved a rear locomotive making contact with the passenger coach immediately behind it due to a coupling issue.
Opeifa confirmed that the injured passengers were promptly attended to and transported to nearby medical facilities for proper care. He added that no fatalities were recorded.
The NRC MD also disclosed that emergency response protocols were immediately activated, and relevant technical teams were mobilized to the site.
According to him, Safety Investigation Bureau is also on site to conduct a thorough investigation into the incident, in line with established safety procedures.
The statement added that train later arrived at Idu Train Station at approximately 10:39 a.m., 38 minutes behind schedule, after time was allowed to remove the affected locomotive and coach.
The Nigerian Railway Corporation assured the public that safety remains its top priority and that all necessary measures are being taken to address the situation and ensure the continued safe operation of train services.
It stated that further updates will be provided as more information becomes available.
