Opeifa rides Abuja–Kaduna train to reassure passengers after incident
…blames coupling issues …confirms 22 passengers injured From AbdulGafar Alabelewe, Kaduna Managing Director of the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC), Kayode Opeifa, on Monday rode on the Abuja–Kaduna train to reassure
…blames coupling issues
…confirms 22 passengers injured
From AbdulGafar Alabelewe, Kaduna
Managing Director of the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC), Kayode Opeifa, on Monday rode on the Abuja–Kaduna train to reassure passengers of the safety of the rail service following an incident that left 22 passengers injured.
Opeifa travelled through the affected Abuja–Kaduna corridor shortly after the incident and later addressed journalists in Kaduna, insisting that the rail line remains safe for commuters.
Several passengers had earlier sustained injuries after the Abuja-bound train from Kaduna experienced a violent jolt along the corridor, forcing the train to halt and disrupting the journey.
Passengers on board said the incident occurred during the morning hours when the train suddenly jerked, causing panic inside the coaches.
Some travellers were reportedly thrown from their seats as the train came to an abrupt stop, leading to injuries among passengers.
Preliminary information from the Nigerian Railway Corporation indicated that the incident occurred at about 10:30 a.m. near Asham along the corridor.
The corporation explained that the incident involved a rear locomotive and a passenger coach.
According to the NRC boss, the accident was not a derailment or a collision between two trains but a single-train incident involving a backup locomotive.
He said the corporation had adopted the use of two locomotives on the route so that a second engine could move the train if the primary engine developed a fault.
Opeifa explained that the train departed Rigasa in Kaduna on Monday morning but one of the locomotives developed a problem overnight and had to be replaced with a backup engine.
He said although the train was almost at its destination, the crew decided to couple the backup engine to the main train rather than allowing it to trail behind.
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According to him, the incident occurred near Asham when the backup locomotive made contact with the power car that supplies electricity to the coaches.
The NRC managing director said the power car subsequently hit the last passenger coach where passengers were seated.
He disclosed that the affected coach had 88 passengers on board.
“Among the passengers in that coach, we have so far recorded about 22 people who sustained injuries,” he said.
Opeifa noted that contrary to some reports circulating on social media, there was no derailment and no fatality from the incident.
He explained that engineers on board immediately detached the affected power car and coach so that the train could continue its journey.
The NRC boss added that the train eventually arrived at its destination a few minutes behind schedule after the incident was addressed.
He said both the NRC internal investigation team and the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) had commenced investigations to determine the exact cause of the accident.
Opeifa assured passengers that the corporation would review the situation and ensure that the Abuja–Kaduna corridor becomes even safer for commuters.
