- NRC makes clarification
Passengers were on Thursday left stranded after an Abuja–Kaduna train service developed a mechanical fault barely an hour into its trip.
According to one of the passengers, the train, which departed from Rigasa station shortly after 2 pm, was forced to halt its journey midway before reversing to Kaduna for repairs.
The displeased passenger said the crew could not immediately explain what went wrong.
“We didn’t understand what happened. The train suddenly started reversing back to Kaduna after stopping for a while,” the passenger said.
A staff member of the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) in Kaduna, who also spoke anonymously, confirmed that the train ran into technical issues on the track.
“The train left for the 2pm schedule but encountered problems on the road and had to return to Kaduna for repairs,” the staff member stated.
Dozens of Abuja-bound passengers remained stranded at the Kaduna train station, hoping the fault would be fixed quickly. However, some frustrated travelers reportedly abandoned the wait and returned home.
This incident comes four days after the Kogi State Police Command rescued passengers stranded for several hours after a Warri–Itakpe train derailed in the Adogo community of Ajaokuta Local Government Area.
The Police Public Relations Officer, CSP William Ovye-Aya, said all passengers were safely evacuated to the Ajaokuta train station and later assisted to continue to their destinations.
However, the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) debunked reports that passengers were left stranded on the Abuja–Kaduna Train Service (AKTS) on Thursday, attributing the disruption to a precautionary safety decision following a technical issue with the backup engine.
NRC Managing Director, Dr. Kayode Opeifa, made the clarification in a statement he personally signed.
He apologized to all affected passengers, dismissing the misleading media reports suggesting that the train was abandoned mid-journey.