Some passengers in the Abuja-Kaduna-bound train that derailed, injuring six, have expressed happiness that they came out unhurt, even as some say they thought it was a terrorist attack.
Emergency teams and security operatives were deployed to KM 49 of the Abuja–Kaduna rail corridor after a passenger train derailed, leaving several coaches off the tracks and sparking panic among travellers.
The Nigeria Railway Corporation (NRC), in a statement signed by its Managing Director, Kayode Opeifa, confirmed that the incident occurred at about 11:09 a.m. between Kubwa and Asham stations.
When news of the derailment spread, witnesses described chaotic scenes as passengers scrambled out of the tilted coaches, many clutching their belongings.
In contrast, others ran in confusion. Parents shielded their children, as security officials moved in quickly to restore order. Security sources confirmed that military personnel were part of the first responders, assisting in evacuating and guarding the area until rescue operations were concluded.
Speaking to LEADERSHIP, one of the passengers who simply identified his name as Kola said he thought it was another terrorist attack.
Kola, who lives in Dutse, Abuja, said his life flashed before his eyes when he had a sound before the coaches started falling.
According to him, “I thank God for saving my life today. I honestly thought it was another terrorist attack. I heard a loud sound from the back, and the coaches were falling before we could do anything.
“Even when we got out, we were afraid because we were in the bushes, but thank God security agents arrived on time, which helped us settle and move away.”
The eyewitness said, “It is a complete pandemonium. People who were confirmed to be saved were seen running in different directions. It was pure panic. We cannot confirm if everyone is safe yet, but we pray that everyone comes alive.
“We just heard a loud screech, and then suddenly everything shook. People were screaming as the coaches lifted and fell on their sides.”
Another passenger on the train, who preferred anonymity, said, “Everyone thought the train would somersault completely. We thank God for life.”
An eyewitness had earlier written on social media that the derailment happened without warning, triggering confusion as passengers rushed out of the derailed cabins.
Recall that in March 2022, about seven passengers were killed after gunmen attacked a fully loaded train going from Abuja to Kaduna.
The terrorist gang mined the track, forcing the train, carrying about 970 passengers, to a stop in the middle of the forest, where it was attacked.
Gunmen subsequently surrounded the carriages and opened fire on the train, killing some and injuring others, while an unknown number of passengers were abducted from the train.
The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) has commenced an investigation into the derailment of a Kaduna-bound train service that occurred at approximately 11:09am yesterday at KM 49 between Kubwa Station and Asham Station.
The NSIB also confirmed that six people were injured and no recorded fatalities.
Commenting on the incident, the director general of NSIB, Captain Alex Badeh Jr., said, “We deeply sympathise with all who sustained injuries. The bureau has deployed investigators to the site to ensure the root cause of this derailment is uncovered. Our commitment is to ensure safer rail transport for Nigerians through a transparent and independent investigation.”
Director, public affairs and family assistance, NSIB, Mrs Bimbo Olawumi Oladeji, further said, “A go-team has been deployed to the site to gather evidence, engage relevant stakeholders, and commence an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the accident.
“The bureau sympathises with those injured and supports all affected passengers. The investigation will focus on identifying the direct and underlying factors that led to the derailment, and issue safety recommendations to prevent a recurrence.”
Meanwhile, the Nigeria Railway Corporation (NRC) has called for calm and explained that “Emergency rescue, medical personnel, and nearby hospitals were mobilised.”
In a statement by the NRC’s managing director, Kayode Opeifa, the corporation said, “NRC confirms a train derailment involving its Kaduna-bound AKTS train service at about 11.09 at KM 49 between Kubwa station and Asham station.
“A full complement of security is already on the ground, as an effort is ongoing to move all train passengers back to Abuja safely. Kindly join us.”
It remains unclear what caused the derailment, and as the NSIB continues, LEADERSHIP learnt that the last coach crashed before pulling down the other coaches.
Meanwhile, the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) has suspended train operations on the Abuja-Kaduna corridor following Tuesday’s derailment.
The NRC’s managing director, Kayode Opeifa, stated this while briefing the press in Abuja after the incident.
He stressed that services will remain suspended until investigations are concluded and safety is assured, and noted that refunds have been processed for all passengers affected by the disruption.
He said technical teams from the NRC, officials of the Nigeria Safety Investigation Bureau, NSIB, and other relevant agencies are already at the scene to determine the cause of the derailment and ensure preventive measures are implemented.
The NRC boss dismissed speculations that the trains were poorly maintained and noted that the corporation has consistently adhered to safety standards.
Vandalism, Lack Of Maintenance Likely Cause Of Train Derailment
As the reaction continued to trail the cause of the train derailment on the Abuja-Kaduna rail line on Tuesday, some government officials have attributed the cause to vandalism and lack of maintenance of the track.
This is even as not less than 618 passengers, who boarded the Kaduna-bound train, escaped death with minimal injuries.
A source at the NRC said that the accident may have been caused by vandalism or improper fixing of the point on the tracks.
The source said the likely cause of the accident: “According to an official on the ground at Asham station, the problem occurred at a point in the track. There’s a place where the tracks meet each other. It’s actually at the station. You have line one, line two, line three. So, they interchange the lines for the train with those points. So, if those points are not correctly set and the train goes into it, it will fall. So, either it was vandalised or the point was not correctly fixed.
“They are still doing investigations to know whether it was vandalised. One train used it earlier in the morning, so we don’t know whether it was when that train passed that it was vandalised or maybe anything, we don’t really know.
“The enemy of the state could also cause it. We don’t know whether it’s an enemy of the state or negligence of duty by the officials that are supposed to change the points because they are changed manually”.
Meanwhile, Kayode Opeifa, the managing director of the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC), has announced the indefinite suspension of train operations on the Abuja-Kaduna train corridor.
