By Ibrahim Wuyo

A train conveying passengers to Abuja from Kaduna had developed a mechanical fault, a few minutes after takeoff from the Rigasa station, leaving the passengers stranded at Dutse before they were evacuated at 10.20 am on Monday.

The National Secretary of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Mr Midat Joseph, who was among the passengers, told journalists on phone that the journey of about 2-hour was delayed, when the train had to stop at about 7 am while in transit.

Midat who said his mission was to arrive Abuja in good time, explained that “I left my house as early as 5 am to join the 6:40 am train but unfortunately I have been trapped here in this forest. This is not the first time I will be experiencing this mess.”

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According to him, a staff with the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC), later spoke to the passengers, saying “we are very sorry, the locomotive is faulty. We have contacted the Idu Train Station for another locomotive. It would take them two hours to be here.”

“There was a sigh of relief when we were finally evacuated at 10:20,” said Midat.

Other passengers also lamented over the situation they found themselves and recalled similar ordeals while travelling along that route.

Due to the the notoriety of bandits along the Kaduna-Abuja highway, many passengers now chose to ply that route by rail in recent times.

Vanguard News Nigeria