Abuja–Kaduna Train Collision Under Probe As NRC Confirms Injuries

The Managing Director of the Nigerian Railway Corporation, Kayode Opeifa, has confirmed that several passengers sustained injuries after an Abuja–Kaduna train was involved in a collision near Asham Station on Monday.

Opeifa said the injured passengers were quickly attended to and taken to a nearby medical facility for treatment, noting that no fatalities were recorded.

According to him, preliminary reports indicate that the incident occurred when the rear locomotive made contact with the coach immediately next to it due to a coupling issue.

“The Management of the Nigerian Railway Corporation wishes to confirm that an avoidable train incident occurred at about 10:30 a.m. today near Asham, involving a rear locomotive and a passenger coach,” the statement read.

He added that emergency response protocols were immediately activated, with technical teams deployed to the scene.

The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau is also on site to conduct a detailed investigation in line with established safety procedures.

The train later arrived at Idu Station at about 10:39 a.m., approximately 38 minutes behind schedule, after the affected locomotive and coach (SP 0006) were removed.

The corporation, however, did not disclose the total number of passengers onboard or the number of those injured.

Meanwhile, an eyewitness, Sada Malumfashi, shared photos on X showing bent metal and sections of the train affected by the impact. He described how passengers were thrown around inside the train when the collision occurred.

“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,” he wrote.

The NRC assured the public that passenger safety remains its top priority and said further updates would be provided as more information becomes available.

The Abuja–Kaduna train had experienced a loud explosion on Monday, causing it to suddenly jolt to a halt and injuring several passengers as the impact threw occupants off balance and sparked panic inside the coaches.

Eyewitnesses said the incident occurred mid-journey when a loud bang was heard, forcing the train to stop abruptly and flinging some passengers across their seats and onto the floor.

According to passengers onboard, several people sustained injuries, with some bleeding and others suffering severe wounds from the sudden impact.

The train remained stationary for about 30 minutes before resuming its journey toward the Kubwa area of Abuja.

Passengers also complained that there was no immediate communication from the Nigerian Railway Corporation regarding the cause of the explosion or the condition of affected passengers.

The Abuja–Kaduna Railway corridor is one of the country’s busiest rail routes, used daily by hundreds of commuters travelling between the Federal Capital Territory and Kaduna State.