The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) on Tuesday confirmed that 12 passengers were injured when an Abuja-Kaduna train derailed last week.

The Director General of the Bureau, Captain Alex Badeh, disclosed this while giving updates on the ongoing probe, noting that the train had 583 passengers on board when the incident occurred.

The derailment happened last Tuesday along the Kaduna corridor shortly after the train departed Abuja at about 11 a.m.

Badeh said an Investigator-in-Charge (IIC) has been appointed to lead the inquiry in collaboration with the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) and other stakeholders.

He explained that evidence-protection measures have already been taken at the site.

“The team has secured the site and preserved critical data, including CCTV footage and other materials that could help determine the cause of the derailment,” he said.

According to him, a final report will be released within 30 days of the incident — now 23 days away — and will be shared with the NRC, regulatory authorities, and the public.

Badeh used the opportunity to appeal for stronger government support.

“We need to address funding shortfalls to enhance our capacity for thorough investigations and safeguard the lives of Nigerians,” he stated.

Some passengers described the moment of derailment as chaotic, with commuters scrambling to safety.

Naijaonpoint reports that in the wake of the incident, the Nigerian Railway Corporation announced the suspension of services on the Abuja-Kaduna corridor until further notice.

NRC’s Managing Director, Fidet Opeifa, said technical staff of the corporation, the NSIB, and other agencies had already been deployed to the site.

He dismissed claims that the trains were unfit for service, insisting they were in good condition.

Opeifa also confirmed that the refund of ticket fees had been initiated for all affected passengers.