The Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) has suspended all regular train services on the Abuja-Kaduna Train Service (AKTS) route indefinitely following a derailment incident that occurred on Tuesday morning.

 

According to the NRC Managing Director, Dr. Kayode Opeifa, the incident took place at approximately 11:09 a.m. at Kilometer 49 between Kubwa and Asham stations. In the aftermath of the derailment, all services on the route have been halted pending full recovery and safety clearance of the affected site.

 

Dr. Opeifa confirmed that all 618 persons aboard the ill-fated Kaduna-bound train were safely evacuated, with seven passengers sustaining injuries. The casualties were promptly attended to and transported to nearby hospitals by medical teams mobilized to the scene.

 

“A total of 618 persons — comprising 583 passengers, 15 NRC crew members, one medical personnel, eight cleaners, and 11 catering staff — were successfully evacuated from the train,” Opeifa said.

 

He added that a rescue train was dispatched from Idu to convey the remaining passengers back to Idu and Kubwa stations, with all arriving safely at their destinations.

 

In line with its commitment to passenger welfare, the NRC announced that its third-party ticketing vendor has been directed to immediately issue refunds to all passengers affected by the incident.

 

The NRC also revealed that an official investigation has commenced under the supervision of the Federal Ministry of Transport to determine the cause of the derailment and prevent future occurrences.

 

“All Abuja–Kaduna Train Services have been temporarily suspended pending recovery of the site, further clearance, and an official announcement of service resumption,” Dr. Opeifa stated. “We sincerely regret the inconvenience caused and thank our esteemed passengers and the general public for their understanding.”

 

The suspension of AKTS services follows a similar halt on the Warri-Itakpe Train Service (WITS), raising broader concerns about the safety and resilience of Nigeria’s railway infrastructure.