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By Oscar Okhifo
The Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) has suspended operations on the Abuja–Kaduna rail corridor following Monday’s derailment near Asham in Kaduna State, which left seven passengers hospitalised.
In a situation report issued on Tuesday and signed by its Managing Director, Kayode Opeifa, the NRC said the affected Kaduna-bound train had 618 persons on board at the time of the incident. These included 583 passengers, 15 NRC crew members, as well as medical staff, cleaners, and catering personnel.
According to the corporation, emergency teams were immediately deployed to the scene, where all passengers were safely evacuated. While the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau earlier put the number of injured passengers at six, the NRC clarified that seven sustained varying degrees of injuries and are currently receiving treatment at a hospital in Kaduna.
A rescue train dispatched from Idu Station later conveyed unhurt passengers back to Idu and Kubwa stations, where they arrived safely.
The NRC also directed its third-party ticketing partner to refund fares to all affected passengers, adding that investigations into the derailment have commenced under the supervision of relevant authorities and the Federal Ministry of Transportation.
It further announced that the Abuja–Kaduna service will remain suspended pending the completion of recovery operations and safety certification of the site.
The corporation expressed regret over the incident and thanked passengers and the public for their patience and understanding.