Several passengers were injured on Monday morning after a train operating on the Abuja–Kaduna rail corridor was involved in an incident that forced the service to halt midway through the journey.
The passenger train travelling from Kaduna to Abuja failed to reach its destination on schedule after the disruption occurred along the busy rail line connecting the Federal Capital Territory with Kaduna State. The incident reportedly caused panic among passengers and temporarily disrupted operations on the corridor.
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 route.
Passengers on board said the situation unfolded suddenly, sending shock through the coaches as the train came to an abrupt stop.
Some passengers reported hearing a loud bang before the train jolted violently, throwing several occupants off their seats and causing confusion inside the coaches.
According to eyewitness accounts, the Abuja-bound train reportedly collided with another train along the corridor, prompting a brief pause in rail operations while authorities assessed the situation.
The PUNCH gathered that several passengers sustained injuries, with some suffering cuts and bruises after being thrown against seats and metal fittings inside the train compartments during the impact.
A social media user, Sada Malumfashi, who said he was among the passengers on board, described the frightening moment shortly after getting off the train.
Writing on his X account, he explained that the sudden jolt caught many passengers unprepared and led to chaos inside the train.
He wrote, “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.”
According to the passenger, the train remained stationary for approximately 30 minutes before eventually resuming its journey slowly toward Kubwa, an area on the outskirts of Abuja.
When contacted, the NRC spokesperson, Callistus Unyimadu, confirmed that an incident had indeed taken place along the Abuja–Kaduna rail line.
He added that the corporation would release an official statement to provide further clarification on the circumstances surrounding the incident.
