Photo: Unrelated photo of a train derailment
The Nigerian Railway Corporation has confirmed that several passengers sustained injuries following a train incident near Asham Train Station along the Abuja-Kaduna rail corridor on Monday morning.
The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the corporation, Kayode Opeifa, disclosed in a statement that the incident occurred at about 10:30 a.m. He explained that a rear locomotive made contact with the passenger coach directly behind it due to a coupling fault.
According to Opeifa, the injured passengers were promptly attended to and transported to nearby medical facilities for proper treatment, adding that no fatalities were recorded.
He stated that emergency response protocols were immediately activated, while relevant technical teams were deployed to the scene to manage the situation. The Safety Investigation Bureau is also on site conducting a thorough investigation in line with established safety procedures.
The statement noted that the train later arrived at Idu Train Station at approximately 10:39 a.m., about 38 minutes behind schedule, after time was taken to detach the affected locomotive and coach.
The corporation reassured the public that passenger safety remains its top priority and that necessary steps are being taken to address the situation and ensure the continued safe operation of train services. It added that further updates would be provided as more information becomes available.
The latest development comes amid growing concerns over recurring rail incidents across the country, particularly on the Abuja-Kaduna route. In November 2025, the Senate resolved to launch a nationwide probe into persistent rail derailments and infrastructure failures.
As part of the resolution, lawmakers constituted an ad hoc committee chaired by Adams Oshiomhole to conduct a comprehensive investigation, including a public hearing, into the root causes of the derailments, the state of rail infrastructure, and materials imported for rail projects.
The committee was given six weeks to conclude its assignment and submit a detailed report to the Senate. Lawmakers also directed the Nigerian Railway Corporation to urgently address technical faults linked to recent derailments and restore the rail system to full operational capacity.
