Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia
The Nigeria Railway Corporation, NRC, has announced the immediate suspension of trains between Abuja and Kaduna, following the train derailment at Kubwa, Abuja on Friday afternoon.
NRC which announced this in a statement signed by the Director, Operations, Niyi Alli, however, said no casualty was recorded in the accident.
The statement said that all the passengers had been successfully evacuated.
Ikengaonline reports that the incident occurred barely seven days after the Warri-Itakpe train derailed at a forest in Kogi State.
The statement said NRC rescue crew had been deployed to re-rail the rolling stock and repair the track.
It read in part: “The Board and Management of Nigerian Railway Corporation regrets to inform the general public particularly our passengers of AK3 and KA4 of today 27th January 2023 that the disruption experienced on our Abuja-Kaduna Train Service was as a result of the derailment of KA4 at Kubwa station.
“There was no casualty recorded. We sincerely apologise to passengers whose planned trips were affected by this incident.
“The NRC rescue team has mobilised to site to re-rail the rolling stock and repair the track. Consequently, the Abuja Kaduna Train Service is temporarily suspended.
“While assuring early recommencement of the service, all inconveniences to our esteemed passengers are highly regretted. Additional Operational Measures are being introduced Nationwide to ensure safe train operations.”
While North -West tail tracks have been revived and modernised to standard gauge, the Eastern corridor has been removed without any hope in sight of its rehabilitation.
As a result, train movement from Port Harcourt to Enugu through Aba and Umuahia, has stopped.
The Federal Government shortly after scrapping the old rail lines built by the Colonial Masters, said it could not secure the needed foreign loan to embark on rehabilitation of the track.
This is after Nigeria had through foreign loans linked Niger Republic and Nigeria through a brand new standard rail gauge that cost billions of Naira.
There has been public outcry in the Eastern Region against the action of Government more so as the whereabouts of the old rail tracks has remained a subject of speculation.
