NRC Vows Improved Safety After Abuja–Kaduna Train Incident

The Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) has confirmed that 26 passengers and crew sustained varying degrees of injuries following a train incident along the Abuja–Kaduna rail corridor on Monday.

In a statement issued on Tuesday via his X handle, the Managing Director of the NRC, Kayode Opeifa, said the incident occurred at about 9:16 a.m. near Asham Station, when a loud bang was heard as part of the train formation collided.

According to Opeifa, the Kaduna–Abuja service (KA-2) departed Rigassa Station at 7:15 a.m. and arrived at Jere Station one minute ahead of schedule at 8:52 a.m.

The train then left Jere at 8:59 a.m., six minutes behind schedule, due to the coupling of locomotive 2809 to the rake for added resilience.

The collision occurred between kilometre points 50 and 51 as the train approached Asham Station. Preliminary reports suggest the incident may have involved one or more faulty couplers.

“None of the coaches derailed, and the reason for the possible decoupling is yet to be ascertained,” Opeifa said.

Two vehicles and the trailing locomotive involved locomotive 2809, power car BVA0002, and passenger coach SP0006 were subsequently detached. The train later departed the scene at 9:42 a.m., arriving at Kubwa at 10:10 a.m. and its final destination, Idu Station, at 10:39 a.m., recording a total delay of 38 minutes.

Opeifa added that 481 people were on board, including 429 passengers out of 459 booked, 10 train crew members, 26 security personnel, six food vendors, eight cleaners, and two third-party operators.

“A total of 26 people with varying degrees of injuries were recorded among the passengers, medical crew, cleaners, and security personnel attached to the service,” he said.

Operations resumed later in the day, with the Abuja–Kaduna train service commencing the AK1 trip from Idu to Rigassa at 2:48 p.m., against a scheduled departure of 11:00 a.m.

The train arrived in Rigassa at 5:33 p.m., with NRC officials, including Opeifa, on board. The return service departed Rigassa at 6:12 p.m., arriving at Kubwa at 8:31 p.m. and at Idu at 8:58 p.m.