…Passengers react as NRC says no recorded casualty

By Ezra Ukanwa, Abuja. 

BARELY a week after the Warri-Itakpe train derailed into a forest in Kogi State, there has been yet another incident of a derailed Abuja-Kaduna train.

VANGUARD reports that the Abuja-Kaduna Train Service derailed at Kubwa on Friday afternoon, leaving many passengers stranded. 

One of the passengers who identified herself as Mercy Adamu, said she boarded the train from the Rigasa station in Kaduna on Friday at about 1:30pm, but was surprised at the derailment of the train.

According to her, the whole journey was going very well until we began to observe unusual movements of train staff who boarded with us and also when the announcement came in, we were all shocked. But thankfully, we have already arrived in Abuja and we are safe. 

Reacting to the development, the Nigerian Railway Corporation, NRC, in a statement signed by the Director, Operations for Management, Niyi Alli, stated that there was no recorded casualty as the passengers have been taken to safety. 

He said that the NRC rescue crew has been deployed to re-rail the rolling stock and repair the track, announcing that the Abuja Kaduna Train Service has been temporarily suspended.

He said: “The Board and Management of Nigerian Railway Corporation regrets to inform the general public particularly our passengers of AK3 and KA4 of today 27th January 2023 that the disruption experienced on our Abuja Kaduna Train Service was as a result of the derailment of KA4 at Kubwa station. 

“There was no casualty recorded. We sincerely apologise to passengers whose planned trips were affected by this incident.

“The NRC rescue team has mobilized to site to re-rail the rolling stock and repair the track. Consequently, the Abuja Kaduna Train Service is temporarily suspended. 

“While assuring early recommencement of the service, all inconveniences to our esteemed passengers are highly regretted. Additional Operational Measures are being introduced Nationwide to ensure safe train operations.”