The Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) has said that last month’s derailment of the Abuja–Kaduna passenger train was caused by human error and excessive speed.
The train, which departed Abuja for Kaduna on August 26, veered off the tracks and left several coaches overturned. While no deaths were recorded, the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) confirmed that six passengers sustained injuries.
Speaking on the incident, NRC’s Managing Director, Kayode Opeifa, said the train was carrying 618 passengers at the time of the crash. He disclosed that 22 people were injured but are currently recovering.
“So far, we have been able to reach 512 passengers, while 71 remain out of contact due to incorrect details or non-response,” Opeifa explained.
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He said the corporation had completed its internal probe of the derailment and accepted the findings but would await further reports from the NSIB and a ministerial committee before taking final actions.
According to him, engineers have successfully re-railed the damaged coaches and locomotives, and the main track has been restored for safe use. Repairs on the secondary line are still ongoing.
“Safety remains our top priority. The corporation reaffirms its determination to restore public confidence in rail services,” Opeifa stated.
Detailing the NRC’s findings, he added: “Our in-house investigation revealed that the train was traveling at excessive speed, and the operator misapplied the emergency braking system.”
Management has accepted all recommendations of the investigative team, and corrective measures are being implemented immediately.”