Passengers sustained injuries 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 as scheduled after the disruption occurred along the busy rail line linking the Federal Capital Territory with Kaduna State.
A source within the NRC confirmed the development on condition of anonymity, as it is not within his purview to speak on such matters.
Passengers on board said the incident happened suddenly, sending shock and panic through the coaches as the train came to an abrupt halt.
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 the eyewitness accounts, the Abuja-bound train reportedly collided with another train along the corridor, forcing rail operations to stop temporarily while the situation was assessed.
The PUNCH gathered that a number of passengers were injured, with some reportedly sustaining cuts and bruises after being flung against seats and metal fittings inside the train compartments.
A social media user, Sada Malumfashi, who claimed to be one of the passengers, described the frightening moment shortly after disembarking from the train, explaining that the sudden jolt caught many people unprepared.
The passenger who posted on his X account stressed that the train remained stationary for about 30 minutes before the journey resumed slowly towards Kubwa, an area on the outskirts of Abuja.
He said, “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.”
When contacted, the NRC spokesperson, Callistus Unyimadu, also confirmed the development, promising that a statement would be released to that effect. (Punch)
