The Nigerian Railway Corporation has confirmed that 26 passengers and crew members were injured following a train collision along the Abuja–Kaduna rail line on Monday morning.
The incident occurred around 9:16 a.m. near Asham Station when a loud impact was heard within the train formation during the journey from Kaduna to Abuja.
Providing details, Managing Director of the NRC, Kayode Opeifa, said the Kaduna–Abuja service had departed Rigassa Station at 7:15 a.m. and made steady progress before the disruption.
“The train left Jere Station slightly behind schedule after an additional locomotive was coupled to improve operational resilience,” Opeifa explained.
He said the collision happened between kilometre points 50 and 51 as the train approached Asham Station, involving parts of the train formation.
“A loud bang was heard as the power car and trailing locomotive collided with one of the coaches. Preliminary findings point to a possible fault with one or more couplers,” he said.
Opeifa clarified that despite the impact, none of the coaches derailed, while investigations are ongoing to determine the exact cause of the mechanical failure.
Emergency response measures were promptly activated, and injured passengers were attended to, with 26 people reported to have sustained varying degrees of injuries.
“Those affected include passengers, onboard staff, and other personnel attached to the service,” he added.
The train, which had 481 people on board—including passengers, crew, security personnel, and service providers—continued its journey after the affected components were detached.
It eventually arrived at Idu Station at 10:39 a.m., recording a delay of about 38 minutes.
The NRC boss also noted that normal operations resumed later in the day, although with adjusted schedules.
“Service recovery was initiated, and subsequent trips were completed, albeit behind schedule,” Opeifa stated.
Authorities say further technical assessments are underway to prevent a recurrence and ensure passenger safety on the busy rail corridor.
