A passenger train on the Abuja–Kaduna corridor derailed on Tuesday morning, forcing terrified commuters to flee for safety as several carriages left the tracks.
According to The PUNCH, the train which departed Abuja around 11 a.m., was headed for Kaduna when the incident occurred. Witnesses described the atmosphere as chaotic, with passengers scrambling to escape the overturned coaches.
One passenger, who asked not to be named, recounted the moment: “Everything happened so suddenly. People were screaming and running in different directions. It was complete confusion, but thankfully some of us managed to get out safely.”
Confirming the incident, the Managing Director of the Nigerian Railway Corporation, Kayode Opeifa, told journalists that emergency teams were already at the site.
“The derailment has been confirmed, and rescue operations are ongoing as we speak. I would not like to go into further details until full assessments are made,” he said.
As of press time, there were no official reports of casualties, and the cause of the derailment has not yet been determined.
The Abuja–Kaduna line is among Nigeria’s busiest railway routes, carrying hundreds of passengers daily.
It has, however, suffered multiple setbacks in recent years, including the March 2022 terrorist attack that claimed lives and led to the abduction of dozens of commuters.