THE Minister of Transportation, Sa’idu Ahmed Alkali, has assured Nigerians that the damaged portions of the Abuja-Kaduna railway line will be fully restored within 10 days, following last week’s derailment of a Kaduna-bound train.
The incident, which occurred on Tuesday at Asham Station, left portions of the track and several coaches badly damaged. According to official reports, 618 persons were on board the train comprising 583 passengers, 15 Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) crew members, one medical personnel, eight cleaners and 11 catering staff.
While the majority escaped unhurt, seven passengers sustained varying degrees of injury, receiving medical treatment shortly after the derailment.
News Point Nigeria reports that speaking after an inspection of the accident scene on Monday, Minister Alkali commended the combined efforts of security agencies, NRC personnel and other stakeholders in protecting lives and safeguarding rail infrastructure since the derailment.
“The NRC staff have been working day and night to clear the wreckage and repair the tracks,” Alkali said. “At the time of the accident, the locomotive was pulling eight coaches. We have already successfully moved four of them away from the site, and we are working to bring in a larger crane to remove the remaining coaches and the locomotive.”
He expressed optimism that the line would be cleared in record time.
“Insha Allah, in the next 48 hours, we will move all the remaining equipment out of the site. If weather conditions do not pose any challenges, in the next 10 days we are going to restore the line,” he assured.
The Abuja-Kaduna rail service, a major transportation lifeline for thousands of commuters, has faced security threats and operational challenges in recent years. The latest derailment has once again raised concerns about safety and maintenance on Nigeria’s critical rail infrastructure.
However, the Minister emphasised that measures are already in place to guarantee passenger safety and ensure that similar incidents do not occur in the future.
Alkali further praised the role of security personnel, who swiftly secured the scene of the accident and provided assistance to stranded passengers.
He noted that the rapid deployment of emergency services prevented greater loss of life and helped maintain calm among passengers after the derailment.
As restoration work continues, the NRC is expected to resume limited operations before the full reopening of the Abuja-Kaduna route, pending final clearance and safety checks.
The Abuja-Kaduna line remains one of Nigeria’s most utilised rail corridors, linking the nation’s capital to the Northwest and serving as a safer alternative to the highway, which has been plagued by bandit attacks and kidnappings in recent years.
With the Minister’s 10-day restoration pledge, attention will now turn to whether the NRC can meet the deadline and restore public confidence in one of Nigeria’s most vital transport arteries.