Tension gripped hundreds of passengers on Tuesday after an Abuja-Kaduna bound train derailed, forcing terrified travelers to scramble for safety amid fears of bandit attacks along Nigeria’s most dangerous rail corridor. The train, which left Abuja around 11:00 a.m., skidded off the tracks before reaching Kaduna, sparking chaos inside its carriages.
Eyewitnesses said the derailment happened suddenly, sending passengers tumbling and triggering a frantic rush to exit the cabins. “People were shouting, praying, and struggling to get out. Everyone feared bandits could strike at any moment,” one survivor recounted, referencing past deadly ambushes on the route.
Although no deaths were recorded, the fear of an attack overshadowed relief at escaping unharmed. Survivors recalled the March 28, 2022 Abuja-Kaduna train bombing in which bandits killed at least eight people and abducted dozens, leaving a scar that still haunts passengers on the line today.
The Managing Director of the Nigeria Railway Corporation (NRC), Kayode Opeifa, confirmed the incident, noting that rescue operations were immediately activated. “The derailment is confirmed, and our teams are on ground handling the situation. Full details will be provided later,” he said, declining to give further comment.
Security operatives were quickly deployed to the site to prevent possible exploitation of the accident by armed gangs notorious for operating in the axis. Passengers, however, expressed anger that rail safety measures remain weak despite repeated attacks and billions invested in the corridor’s rehabilitation.
Transportation analysts warn that the incident could further erode public trust in the Abuja-Kaduna rail, once touted as the safest alternative to the perilous highway. Many Nigerians now see the rail line as a high-risk venture, with derailments and insecurity combining to make travel uncertain.
For stranded passengers, the derailment was more than a mechanical failure — it was a stark reminder of the fragile state of Nigeria’s transport infrastructure and the ever-present fear of banditry. Calls are already mounting for the government to urgently upgrade rail safety systems before tragedy strikes again.
