The Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) has confirmed the derailment of a train along the Abuja–Kaduna corridor on Sunday, raising fresh concerns over the safety of the busy route.
The corporation, in a statement signed by its spokesperson, Mahmood Yakubu, said the incident occurred near Jere in Kaduna State but assured passengers that there were no casualties.
According to Yakubu, the affected coaches had been safely evacuated while technical teams were already on ground to conduct repairs and restore normal services.
We can confirm that a train derailed today along the Abuja-Kaduna route. Thankfully, no life was lost and no passenger sustained serious injury. Our engineers are working tirelessly to ensure that operations resume within the shortest possible time,” the statement read.
The NRC also disclosed that alternative arrangements were being made to convey passengers stranded as a result of the incident, while investigations would be launched to ascertain the immediate cause of the derailment.
Eyewitnesses said the train, which departed Abuja on schedule, was midway into its journey when some of its coaches went off track, forcing passengers into panic before calm was restored.
The Abuja–Kaduna rail corridor, regarded as one of the busiest in the country, has been plagued by both security threats and technical hitches in recent years. The derailment adds to concerns over the sustainability and safety of the service.
The NRC assured the public of its commitment to passenger safety and pledged to release further updates once investigations are concluded.
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