The Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) has announced the completion of recovery efforts following the Abuja–Kaduna train derailment at Asham on August 26, stating that repairs on the affected track are nearing completion.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, NRC Managing Director, Dr. Kayode Opeifa, confirmed that all coaches and locomotives involved in the incident have been re-railed and moved to workshops for technical evaluation. He added that engineers have restored the main line to a condition suitable for the safe resumption of operations, although work on the secondary track is still ongoing.
“Safety remains our top priority,” Opeifa stated, noting that train operations will only resume after final inspections, testing, and certification have been completed. A comprehensive safety and infrastructure assessment of the corridor is currently underway.
Regarding passenger welfare, the NRC reported that 22 of the 618 passengers on board sustained injuries and are recovering. The corporation confirmed successful contact with 512 passengers, while 71 others remain unreachable due to incorrect contact information, lack of response, or unavailability.
The NRC disclosed that its internal investigation traced the cause of the derailment to human error, specifically citing excessive speed and the improper application of the emergency braking system.
The management has accepted all recommendations from the investigative team and is awaiting further reports from the Minister of Transportation’s committee and the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB).
The corporation stated that an official date for the resumption of train services on the corridor will be announced in due course.
The NRC also expressed appreciation to passengers, security agencies, the Ministry of Transportation, and the media for their support during the recovery process, and commended its engineers for their professionalism.
