UPDATED: Panic as Abuja–Kaduna Train Derails

A train heading from Abuja to Kaduna derailed on Tuesday morning, throwing passengers into panic after several coaches went off track.

The incident, which occurred shortly after the train departed Abuja around 11 a.m., caused chaos as frightened commuters scrambled out of the affected carriages in search of safety.

Eyewitnesses described the moment as sudden and terrifying, noting that the derailment happened without warning. “It was total confusion. People who managed to escape were seen running in different directions. The whole atmosphere was filled with fear. We are still praying that everyone makes it out alive,” one passenger recounted.

Confirming the incident, the Managing Director of the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC), Kayode Opeifa, told our correspondent via telephone that rescue efforts were already underway at the site. “I can confirm the derailment, but I won’t give further details for now. Rescue operations are ongoing,” he said.

As of press time, the cause of the derailment had not been determined, and no casualties had been officially reported.

The Abuja–Kaduna rail line remains one of Nigeria’s busiest transport corridors, patronized daily by hundreds of travelers. However, it has witnessed a series of disruptions in recent years, including the March 2022 terrorist attack that claimed lives and led to mass abductions.