The Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) has confirmed that an avoidable train incident occurred around 10:30 a.m. on Monday near Asham, involving a rear locomotive and a passenger coach.
In a statement signed by the Managing Director, Kayode Opeifa, the corporation said preliminary reports showed that the rear locomotive made contact with the coach directly behind it due to a coupling fault.
The NRC explained that some passengers sustained injuries during the incident and were immediately attended to before being taken to a nearby medical facility for proper treatment. The corporation stressed that no fatalities were recorded.
According to the statement, emergency response procedures were swiftly activated, while technical teams were dispatched to the scene. The Safety Investigation Bureau (SIB) is also on ground to carry out a detailed investigation in line with standard safety protocols.
An eyewitness who shared his account on X, identified as @sadaoverall, said: “We heard a loud bang and the train jolted to a stop, flinging people across. Passengers got hit and most were bleeding and severely injured. The train was delayed for about 30 minutes before it resumed the journey to Kubwa.”
The statement added that the train eventually arrived at Idu Railway Station at about 10:39 a.m., about 38 minutes behind schedule, after time was taken to detach the affected rear locomotive and coach (SP 0006).
The corporation reassured the public that passenger safety remains its top priority, adding that all necessary steps are being taken to address the situation and ensure the continued safe operation of train services.
It also noted that more details would be released as further information becomes available.
