Lagos, Nigeria — The Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) has confirmed that at least 618 people were safely evacuated from the Abuja-Kaduna Train Service (AKTS) after it derailed on Tuesday. The incident, which occurred at approximately 11:09 a.m. between Kubwa and Asham stations, left seven passengers with varying degrees of injury.
According to a statement from the NRC’s Managing Director, Dr. Kayode Opeifa, the train was carrying 583 passengers, along with 15 NRC crew members, and various support staff. All 618 individuals were successfully evacuated, and the seven injured passengers were immediately taken to the hospital.
A rescue train was dispatched from the Idu station to transport the remaining passengers safely back to their destinations. In a show of good faith, the NRC has also directed its ticketing company to issue refunds to all passengers on the affected train.
The NRC has temporarily suspended all Abuja-Kaduna train services to allow for a full investigation into the cause of the derailment. “We sincerely regret the inconvenience caused and thank our esteemed passengers and the general public for their understanding,” the statement concluded.
