Abuja-bound train on the Kaduna rail corridor derailed near Asham, leaving several travellers injured and forcing a temporary halt to operations along the busy route linking Kaduna with the Federal Capital Territory.
In a statement issued in Abuja, the NRC Managing Director, Dr. Kayode Opeifa, said the incident occurred at about 10:30 a.m. and involved a rear locomotive and a passenger coach.
According to him, preliminary findings indicate that the rear locomotive made contact with the coach immediately next to it due to a coupling issue, leading to the derailment.
“Some passengers sustained injuries and were promptly attended to and taken to a nearby medical facility for proper medical care. No fatalities were recorded,” Opeifa said.
He added that emergency response protocols were immediately activated, while relevant technical teams were deployed to the location.
The Safety Investigation Bureau is also on the ground to conduct a thorough investigation into the incident in line with established safety procedures.
The train, which was travelling from Kaduna to Abuja, experienced a sudden disruption along the busy rail corridor linking the Federal Capital Territory with Kaduna State, forcing the service to halt temporarily midway through the journey.
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Passengers on board said the incident happened suddenly, sending shock and panic through the coaches as the train came to an abrupt stop.
Some travellers reported hearing a loud bang before the train jolted violently, throwing several occupants off their seats and causing confusion inside the coaches.
Eyewitness accounts suggested that the Abuja-bound train may have collided with another train along the corridor, forcing rail operations to stop temporarily while the situation was assessed.
Several passengers reportedly sustained cuts and bruises after being flung against seats and metal fittings inside the train compartments.
A passenger, Sada Malumfashi, who shared his experience on social media platform X shortly after disembarking, described the frightening moment.
“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,” he wrote.
He added that the train remained stationary for about 30 minutes before the journey resumed slowly towards Kubwa, on the outskirts of Abuja.
Opeifa further disclosed that the train eventually arrived at Idu Station at about 10:39 a.m., approximately 38 minutes behind schedule, after time was taken to remove the affected rear locomotive and coach SP 0006.
“The Corporation assures the public that safety remains its top priority, and all necessary measures are being taken to address the situation and ensure the continued safe operation of train services,” he said.
The NRC also said further details would be communicated as more information becomes available.
NAN
