Fear and confusion gripped passengers on Tuesday morning after a train on the Abuja–Kaduna route derailed, forcing terrified commuters to abandon their seats and flee in panic.
The incident occurred around 11 a.m., shortly after departure from Abuja, when several coaches skidded off the tracks and brought the journey to an abrupt halt.
Eyewitnesses described scenes of chaos. Some passengers screamed as they struggled to exit the coaches, while others frantically made phone calls to relatives amid fears of a possible attack.
Although there were no immediate reports of injuries or fatalities, the derailment once again raised questions over the safety of the 186km corridor, one of Nigeria’s busiest and most troubled rail routes.
Security operatives, including military personnel, were quickly dispatched to the scene to protect passengers and assist with evacuation, given the history of armed attacks along the line.
Managing Director of the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC), Kayode Opeifa, confirmed the derailment in a brief telephone statement.
“The incident is confirmed. Rescue operations are ongoing at the site,” he said.
The Abuja–Kaduna rail service was launched in 2016 as a flagship project meant to offer travelers a secure alternative to the highway, where kidnappings and deadly ambushes are frequent. But the line has since faced its own crises.
In October 2021, gunmen opened fire on a Kaduna-bound train after planting explosives on the tracks, forcing an emergency halt. Just five months later, in March 2022, terrorists staged a devastating night assault on the same corridor, bombing the tracks, killing at least eight passengers, and abducting more than 60 others in an attack that shocked the nation.
Repeated service disruptions, mechanical faults, and lingering fears of renewed attacks have eroded confidence in what was once hailed as Nigeria’s safest intercity rail link. Tuesday’s derailment, though not immediately linked to sabotage, rekindled anxieties among passengers who see the corridor as a lifeline between the capital and the northwest.
By afternoon, anxious relatives besieged NRC hotlines and turned to social media, pleading for updates on their loved ones. Many expressed relief that casualties had not been confirmed but voiced frustration over what they described as persistent lapses in rail safety.