The Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC), has apologised to passengers aboard the Thursday afternoon Abuja–Kaduna Train Service after the train was forced to return to Kaduna due to a backup engine losing power shortly after departure.
Naijaonpoint reports that the Managing Director of the NRC, Dr Kayode Opeifa, described earlier reports claiming that passengers were stranded as “misleading,” insisting that commuters were never abandoned at any point.
Opeifa said the corporation’s strict safety protocol prompted the decision to reverse the train less than 30 minutes into the journey once it was discovered that the backup locomotive was failing.
He said, “Though the train could have continued the journey, for security concerns on the route, and given that they were less than 30 minutes into the trip, it was advisable to pull back to Rigasa, Kaduna, for safety reasons.”
According to him, the action mirrors global aviation safety procedures where aircraft divert immediately when an engine fails.
The NRC boss disclosed that the journey resumed at 4:00 p.m., about an hour after the train was returned to Rigasa Station for checks. The train eventually arrived at Idu Station, Abuja, at 18:52 hours, roughly 80 minutes behind schedule.
He added that passengers were updated throughout the process via the Public Address Systems on board and at the station.
Opeifa explained that had the incident occurred during a morning service, the train might have continued and shunted at any of the nearest stations, Jere, Rijana or Gidan, but this was avoided because it was an evening trip, when the route poses higher security risks.
Opeifa urged media houses to verify reports before publication to avoid misinforming the public, noting that no passenger was put at risk.
He said the NRC remains committed to “upholding high standards of safety and reliability across all routes, whether on narrow or standard gauge lines,” stressing that the corporation will continue to ensure that all passengers arrive safely at their destinations.
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