A Kaduna-bound passenger train derailed on Tuesday morning, sending several carriages tumbling off the track and sparking panic among travellers.
The incident, which occurred at about 11:09 a.m. at kilometre 49 of the Abuja–Kaduna corridor, left multiple passengers injured and dozens stranded as rescue teams worked to evacuate people from the scene.
Eyewitnesses described chaotic scenes as passengers scrambled from the carriages after a sudden, violent jolt.
“We just heard a loud screech, then suddenly everything shook. People were screaming as the coaches lifted and fell on their sides,” one passenger said in an account of the moments after the derailment.
The Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) confirmed the derailment in a statement hours later, saying: “The Nigerian Railway Corporation confirms a train derailment involving our Kaduna-bound AKTS train service at about 11:09 a.m. at KM 49 between Kubwa station and Asham station.”
The NRC added that “Emergency rescue, medical personnel, and nearby hospitals have already been mobilised. Full complement of security already on ground as effort is ongoing to move all passengers on the train back to Abuja safely.”
Video clips posted on social media and shared widely by news outlets show overturned coaches, scattered luggage, and groups of passengers walking alongside the track.
Many users expressed fear and anger online, drawing painful comparisons with previous disruptions on the route, including the deadly March 2022 attack on the Abuja–Kaduna train, which remains a stark memory for commuters on the route.
The immediate cause of the derailment remains unclear.
The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) has launched a probe into the cause of the accident.
NSIB investigators were on site to begin the formal process of evidence gathering, including inspection of the track and the derailed rolling stock, officials said.
NSIB sources reported that six people were injured in the crash; those injured were receiving treatment after being rushed to nearby hospitals.
Authorities have not yet released an updated toll of casualties or fatalities, and rescue teams continued to work to account for all passengers.
Officials from the NRC and the NSIB told reporters they would release further updates as the investigation progresses.
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