SEVERAL passengers sustained injuries on Monday morning after a train operating along the Abuja–Kaduna rail corridor was involved in an incident that disrupted the journey and temporarily halted rail services on the busy route.
News Point Nigeria learnt that the passenger train, which departed Kaduna and was headed for Abuja, failed to arrive at its destination as scheduled after the disruption occurred along the strategic rail line linking the Federal Capital Territory to Kaduna State.
Sources within the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) confirmed that the incident took place during the morning trip, although officials were still assessing the situation at the time of filing this report.
A senior NRC official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to comment publicly on the matter, acknowledged that the train encountered a serious operational issue that forced it to stop abruptly along the route.
Passengers on board the train described moments of fear and confusion when the incident occurred. According to several eyewitnesses, the train suddenly jolted violently after a loud bang was heard, sending shock waves through the coaches.
The abrupt stop reportedly caused some passengers to be thrown off their seats, while others collided with metal fittings and seats inside the compartments.
News Point Nigeria further gathered that several commuters sustained varying degrees of injuries, mostly cuts and bruises, as a result of the impact.
Eyewitness accounts also suggested that the Abuja-bound train might have collided with another train along the corridor, forcing rail operations to pause temporarily while officials assessed the situation and ensured the track was safe.
One of the passengers, Sada Malumfashi, recounted the frightening experience in a post on the social media platform X (Twitter) shortly after disembarking from the train.
He explained that the incident happened suddenly, leaving many passengers unprepared for the violent jolt.
“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. The train was delayed for some 30 minutes and resumed to Kubwa. No communication from @info_NRC on anything,” he wrote.
According to him, the train remained stationary for about 30 minutes before it eventually resumed movement slowly toward Kubwa, located on the outskirts of Abuja.
When contacted for an official response, the spokesperson for the Nigerian Railway Corporation, Callistus Unyimadu, confirmed that the incident had occurred and assured that the corporation would release a formal statement detailing the circumstances surrounding the disruption.
The Abuja–Kaduna rail line remains one of Nigeria’s busiest passenger rail routes, serving thousands of commuters daily and providing a safer alternative for travelers between Abuja and Kaduna.