Several passengers were injured on Monday after a train travelling from Kaduna to Abuja collided with another train and derailed, triggering panic among travellers and briefly disrupting operations along the busy rail corridor.
Passengers aboard the early‑morning service were reportedly jolted by a loud bang before the train came to an abrupt halt.
Eyewitnesses said the impact threw travellers across compartments, with many sustaining visible injuries and bleeding before calm was restored.
The train was halted for about 30 minutes before eventually resuming its journey towards Kubwa, sparking anxiety and frustration among those on board.
A passenger said “I was sleeping when I heard the blast and felt the jolts,” People were thrown from their seats, screams filled the carriage. It was chaos. We didn’t know what was happening.”
Another passenger added: “There was no clear communication from officials. We were left wondering if more help was coming.”
Preliminary accounts suggest the derailment resulted from a collision with another train along the rail line, forcing a temporary suspension of traffic on the route. Videos and images circulating online showed distressed travellers gathered along the tracks, while railway personnel and bystanders worked to assist the injured and assess the scene.
The full extent of injuries and damage remains unclear, and no official casualty figures have been confirmed as of midday. However, several travellers were seen receiving first‑aid treatment at the scene before being taken to nearby medical facilities.
The incident renews concerns over rail safety on the Abuja‑Kaduna corridor, which has seen prior service disruptions and derailments in recent years, prompting calls for more robust maintenance and emergency response measures.
A spokesperson for the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) told reporters that investigations are ongoing and that a comprehensive report will be released in due course. They urged passengers to remain patient as authorities work to determine the exact cause of the collision and derailment.
Officials have also yet to issue a full statement on the number of passengers affected or the extent of structural damage to rolling stock and track infrastructure.