NRC: How track clips stolen by vandals caused Abuja-Kaduna train to derail

The Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) says the derailment of the Abuja-Kaduna train was caused by vandals who removed the track fastening clips.

On June 5, many passengers were stranded when a Kaduna-bound train from Abuja derailed at Asham station in the federal capital territory (FCT).

A passenger told TheCable that the train derailed at about 3:52pm — less than 30 minutes after it departed from Kubwa station in Abuja.

After three hours of being stranded, the passengers were returned to Abuja and left to get alternative means of transportation or postpone their trip.

In a statement signed by Yakub Mahmood, deputy director of public relations at NRC, on Thursday, he said the incident was caused by a technical hitch and passengers on board were safely returned to Abuja (Idu). 

“This minor hitch is attributed to the removal of track fastening clips by vandals. However, the NRC Management remains resolute towards ensuring the safety of our valued passengers in the entire system,” the NRC said.

“For operational reasons, the first train from Kaduna (Rigasa) scheduled for 08.00 hours will be cancelled on Thursday 6th June 2024 only, while all other train services will run as scheduled.”

The NRC said affected passengers still have their tickets valid for a subsequent journey within two weeks.

On May 26, a train that departed Rigasa station in Kaduna for Abuja derailed in a mountainous area near Jere.

Three carriages were said to have gone off the tracks, but there were no casualties.