Passengers injured after Abuja–Kaduna train derails mid-journey

Several passengers sustained injuries on Monday morning after a train operating along the busy Abuja–Kaduna railway corridor was involved in an incident that disrupted service and forced the journey to halt midway.

The train, travelling from Kaduna to Abuja, could not reach its destination as scheduled following the disruption along the rail line, according to passengers and railway officials familiar with the situation.

Initial accounts from passengers onboard suggest the incident occurred suddenly, sending shock through several coaches as the train came to an abrupt stop.

Witnesses said many travellers were caught off guard by the sudden jolt, with some passengers reportedly thrown from their seats as panic spread inside the train.

A source within the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC), who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to comment publicly, confirmed that an incident had occurred along the corridor.

Although full details of the disruption were still being assessed, several passengers were said to have suffered injuries during the sudden halt.

The Abuja–Kaduna railway line is one of Nigeria’s most heavily used passenger rail routes, connecting the federal capital with Kaduna State and serving thousands of commuters daily.

Passengers recount the moment of disruption

Passengers onboard the train described a tense moment when the disruption occurred.

Some travellers reported hearing a loud bang shortly before the train jolted violently and came to an unexpected stop.

According to eyewitness accounts circulating on social media, the Abuja-bound train may have collided with another train operating along the corridor, prompting authorities to temporarily halt rail operations while the situation was assessed.

One passenger, Sada Malumfashi, shared his experience on the social media platform X shortly after leaving the train.

Malumfashi said the sudden impact confused passengers as the train lurched to a stop.

“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,” he wrote in a post describing the incident.

According to him, the train remained stationary for approximately 30 minutes after the disruption before the journey resumed slowly.

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The train eventually continued toward Kubwa, a suburban district on the outskirts of Abuja.

Malumfashi also complained that passengers initially received no immediate explanation from railway officials regarding what had happened.

NRC confirms incident, promises official statement

Officials of the Nigerian Railway Corporation later acknowledged that an incident had occurred along the rail corridor.

The corporation’s spokesperson, Callistus Unyimadu, confirmed the development when contacted but said a detailed statement would be released after preliminary assessments.

He did not immediately provide further information about the cause of the disruption or the extent of injuries sustained by passengers.

Rail safety experts note that the Abuja–Kaduna rail line has become a critical transportation link since its launch, particularly for travellers seeking an alternative to the highway connecting the two cities.

The corridor gained even more importance in recent years following security concerns along parts of the road network between Abuja and Kaduna, which prompted many commuters to rely more heavily on rail transport.

Because of the high volume of passengers using the route daily, any disruption along the line often has immediate effects on hundreds of travellers.

Authorities are expected to investigate the incident to determine the exact cause of the disruption and assess whether additional safety measures are required to prevent similar occurrences in the future.

Rail officials say further updates will be provided once investigations into the incident are completed.