By Emmanuel Nduka Obisue
A Kaduna-bound passenger train derailed on Tuesday morning at Asham, along the Abuja-Kaduna corridor, shortly after departing Abuja at 9:45 am.
The Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) first announced the incident via its official X account, posting:
“Kaduna bound train derails at Asham along Abuja-Kaduna corridor. Train left Abuja at 9:45 am”.
NTA also shared a video clip showing several coaches off the track, with passengers, including women, children and men, crawling out of the train. In the footage, the person behind the camera explained that she had been seated in the last coach and, upon exiting after the train came to a halt, discovered that other coaches had overturned with people gathered outside.
Heritage Times HT reports that several coaches tumbled during the derailment and that casualties were feared, though the number could not be confirmed at the time of filing this report. Emergency responders and security operatives were said to have been mobilised to the scene.
In a statement, the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) confirmed the incident.
“NRC confirms a train derailment involving its Kaduna bound AKTS train service at about 11.09 at KM 49 between Kubwa station and Asham station,” the statement signed by Kayode Opeifa, managing director of the NRC, reads.
“Emergency rescue, medical personnel, and nearby hospitals have already been mobilised. Full compliment of security already on ground as effort is ongoing to move all passengers on train back to Abuja safely. Kindly bear with us at this moment,” it added.
The derailment adds to a series of incidents recorded along the Abuja-Kaduna corridor in recent years. Just days ago, the NRC confirmed that a Kaduna-bound train experienced a “hot axle” fault near Rigasa Station in Kaduna, which disrupted services for some business class passengers. Earlier in May 2024, another derailment was reported at Jeremy Station along the same corridor.
Beyond Abuja-Kaduna, other railway lines have also faced disruptions. The Warri-Itakpe corridor is currently undergoing urgent track repairs following a suspension of services. The NRC announced on August 22, 2025, that work on the affected sections had reached an advanced stage and that operations would soon resume.
Data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) 2023 Social Statistics Report shows that derailments were the most common type of train accident in Nigeria between 2020 and 2022, with 183 incidents recorded. This was followed by 155 cases of loss of control and locomotive failure, 51 cases of detachment, 28 collisions, 9 washouts, and 41 accidents linked to miscellaneous causes.
In addition to accidents, vandalism has continued to plague the railway system, with incidents such as removal of rail tracks, theft of signaling equipment, and sabotage of critical infrastructure raising major safety concerns across the country.
