NRC Blames Human Error for Abuja-Kaduna Train Derailment, Promises Safe Return of Services Soon

The Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) has said preliminary findings suggest that human error was responsible for the Abuja-Kaduna train derailment which occurred on August 26, 2025, at Asham, leaving several passengers injured.

Giving an update on the incident, NRC Managing Director, Dr. Kayode Opeifa, explained that the corporation’s internal investigation revealed excessive speeding and the misapplication of the emergency braking system as the likely causes of the accident.

He, however, stressed that the final word on the matter will come from the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) and the committee set up by the Minister of Transportation, Senator Said Alkali.

The derailment had raised fresh concerns over the safety of the popular Abuja-Kaduna corridor, with 618 passengers on board the affected train.

Dr. Opeifa disclosed that 22 passengers sustained injuries and are currently at different stages of recovery. He added that the corporation has so far been able to contact 512 passengers, while 71 remain unreachable due to issues such as wrong contact information or lack of response.

On recovery efforts, the NRC boss noted that all coaches and locomotives involved in the accident have been successfully re-railed and moved to workshops for full technical checks and repairs.

He further revealed that work on the damaged track has progressed significantly.

“Our team of engineers has successfully repaired the main line to a level that allows us to safely resume operations. However, the secondary line will remain closed until all necessary repairs are fully completed,” he said.

He assured passengers that services on the Abuja-Kaduna route would resume soon but only after all technical inspections, safety tests, and certifications have been completed.

According to him, the engineers have also begun a wider safety and infrastructure assessment of the entire corridor to guarantee long-term reliability.

“The resumption of operations will only take place after we are fully satisfied that every safety standard has been met. Safety remains our top priority,” Opeifa stated, emphasizing the corporation’s determination to restore public confidence in rail transport.