An Abuja-Kaduna passenger train on Tuesday derailed in an area close to the Jere Station. It was reported that the incident occurred along the popular corridor shortly after the train departed Abuja at around 11 am, en route to Kaduna.
The incident has left hundreds of passengers stranded, though no life was lost.
The incident has caused passengers fleeing for safety, with many describing the scene as chaotic and frightening.
An eyewitness stated that the derailment happened without warning, triggering confusion as passengers rushed out of the derailed cabins.
The eyewitness said, “It is a complete pandemonium. People who were confirmed to be saved were seen running in different directions. It was pure panic.
“We cannot confirm if everyone is safe yet but we pray everyone comes out alive.”
Managing Director of the Nigeria Railway Corporation, Kayode Opeifa, confirmed the incident to a Punch newspaper correspondent in a telephone conversation on Tuesday, saying that the rescue operation is ongoing at the scene of the incident.
He said, “I don’t want to say much for now, but the incident is confirmed and the rescue operation is on as we speak.”
Although the exact cause of the derailment remains unclear at the time of this report, no casualties have been officially reported.
The incident is coming days after the Nigerian Railway Corporation, NRC, confirmed that one of the coaches’ wheels on the Abuja-Kaduna Train Service, AKTS, experienced a hot axle several kilometres from Rigasa Station in Kaduna.
The earlier incident, which occurred on August 20, was attributed to hot wheel friction resulting from abnormal temperatures caused by excessive heat on the journal housing.
The NRC Chief Public Relations Officer who spoke for the Management, Callistus Unyimadu, said the situation was immediately brought under control and the train marshalled to Kaduna for safety.
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