Train incident on Abuja–Kaduna route leaves passengers injured

Several passengers sustained injuries Monday morning after a train travelling along the Abuja–Kaduna corridor encountered a serious operational disruption, temporarily halting services on the strategic route.

The passenger train, which departed Kaduna en route to Abuja, failed to reach its destination as scheduled following the incident along the rail line connecting the Federal Capital Territory to Kaduna State.

Sources within the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) confirmed the morning incident occurred, though officials continued assessing the situation at the time of this report.

A senior NRC official acknowledged the train experienced a serious operational issue that forced an abrupt stop along the route.

Passengers described moments of fear and confusion when the incident unfolded.

According to eyewitnesses, the train jolted violently after a loud bang, sending shock waves through the coaches.

The sudden stop reportedly threw some passengers from their seats, while others collided with metal fittings and seats inside the compartments.

Several commuters sustained varying degrees of injuries, primarily cuts and bruises, from the impact.

Eyewitness accounts suggested the Abuja-bound train may have collided with another train along the corridor, forcing temporary suspension of rail operations while officials assessed the situation and ensured track safety.

Passenger Sada Malumfashi recounted the frightening experience on social media platform X (Twitter) shortly after disembarking.

“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. No communication from @info_NRC on anything,” he wrote.

According to him, the train remained stationary for approximately 30 minutes before slowly resuming movement toward Kubwa, on Abuja’s outskirts.

NRC official Callistus Unyimadu confirmed the incident occurred and assured the corporation would release a formal statement detailing circumstances surrounding the disruption.

The Abuja–Kaduna rail line remains one of Nigeria’s busiest passenger routes, serving thousands of daily commuters and providing a safer travel alternative between Abuja and Kaduna.

About The Author

Dele Fashomi

Dele Fashomi, seasoned journalist and communication teacher, is a holder of Master of Arts degree in Communication and Language Arts from the University of Ibadan in 1992/93.

Earlier, he had bagged a Bachelor degree from the same university in 1984, after which he proceeded to the Nigerian Institute of Journalism, Lagos, in 1990, for a postgraduate diploma in Journalism.

He had done many courses in communication, including the EU-BBC Editing Course in 2002.

Mr. Fashomi combines effectively the practice, research and teaching of communication. And to date, he has published two academic works in communication: Issues in Communication Technology and Policy (2010) and Economic and Social Issues in Advertising and PR (2013).

He had his first break in the Nigerian media in Concord Newspapers in 1990 and today, he has over two and half decades experience earned in several newspapers.

He has been part of many start-ups, such as The Republic (1987), The Comet (1999), The Anchor 2001 – 2002; Sun Newspapers (2003); Westerner newsmagazine (2005 – 2010) as Editor; National Life (2011) as Sunday Editor, and Newswatch Newspapers (2012- 2016) as Daily Editor.

Dele Fashomi is now the Publisher/Editor-in-Chief of Newstide247.com newspaper online, which he started in July 2015. He is also into biography writing, with many books in his trail, some of which he wrote alone and one he co- authored with his mentor, Mr Dare Babarinsa, entitled:  Olabiyi Durojaiye – DARE TO BE DiFFERENT. He also guided and collaborated with Pa Olatunji Odusanya in writing his autobiography – AGAINST ALL ODDS. There are many other books in the works under his pen.

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