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At least 26 passengers and crew members were injured on Monday after an incident involving the Kaduna–Abuja train service, the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) has said.
In an interim report issued on Monday, NRC Managing Director Kayode Opeifa said the train departed Rigasa station in Kaduna at about 7:15 a.m. and was approaching Asham station around 9:16 a.m. when a loud bang was heard.
He explained that the sound occurred after the power car and the trailing locomotive collided with one of the passenger coaches.
According to Opeifa, the incident happened around kilometre 50–51 on the route and was likely caused by a fault in one or more couplers connecting the train components.
He added that investigations are ongoing to determine the exact cause. He also noted that the train did not derail.
Following the incident, the affected components were detached from the train before the journey continued.
“Two vehicles and the trailing locomotive involved in the incident were subsequently detached: Loco 2809, power car BVA0002, and passenger coach SP0006,” the report stated.
The train later arrived at Kubwa in Abuja at about 10:10 a.m. and completed its trip at Idu station at 10:39 a.m., about 38 minutes behind schedule.
A total of 481 people were on board the train, including 429 passengers, crew members, security personnel, vendors, and support staff.
According to the NRC report, the passengers included 459 people who booked the trip, out of which 429 boarded the train.
Also on board were 10 train crew members, 26 security personnel, six food vendors, eight cleaners, and two other support staff.
“Passengers: 459 passengers booked to travel and 429 actually boarded (itinerary retrieved from the ticketing platform). Train Crew: 10 train crew, including O&C and Mechanical/Electrical, Security: 26 security personnel, including Man O War. 6 food vendors, 8 Cleaners, 2 (Nurse and TPS operative),” the report indicated.
Opeifa said 26 people sustained varying degrees of injuries in the incident, including passengers, medical staff, cleaners and security personnel.
Despite the disruption, train services later resumed on the route. The Abuja–Kaduna return service departed Idu at 2:48 p.m., later than its scheduled 11:00 a.m. departure, and arrived at Rigasa station at about 5:33 p.m.
The corporation added that further investigations are ongoing to determine the exact cause of the incident.
The incident is the second reported accident on the route within a year. In August 2025, a train travelling to Kaduna derailed, leaving seven passengers injured and safely evacuating more than 600 people on board.
