The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) has confirmed that six passengers sustained injuries in Tuesday’s Abuja–Kaduna train derailment, with no fatalities recorded.
This was disclosed in a statement by Mrs. Bimbo Oladeji, NSIB’s Director of Public Affairs and Family Assistance, in Abuja. She said the bureau sympathises with those injured and expressed its support to all affected passengers.
“NSIB is aware of the derailment involving a Kaduna-bound train service which occurred at about 11:09 a.m. today, August 26, 2025, at KM 49 between Kubwa Station and Asham Station. Current information indicates that six persons sustained injuries, with no recorded fatalities.
“A go-team has been deployed to the site to gather evidence, engage relevant stakeholders, and commence investigation into the circumstances surrounding the accident. The investigation will focus on identifying the direct and underlying factors that led to the derailment, with the aim of issuing safety recommendations to prevent a recurrence,” the statement read.
Commenting further, Capt. Alex Badeh, Director-General of NSIB, expressed sympathy to the injured and assured Nigerians of a thorough inquiry.
“Our investigators are on-site carrying out detailed observations to uncover the root cause of the derailment. Our commitment is to ensure safer rail transport for Nigerians through a transparent and independent investigation. Updates will be provided as the investigation progresses,” he said.
Badeh reiterated that the NSIB, as a multimodal transport agency, is mandated to promote transport safety by conducting comprehensive and objective investigations into accidents and incidents in Nigeria. The bureau, he added, aims to identify probable causes and recommend safety improvements to prevent future occurrences.
NRC evacuates 618 persons
Meanwhile, the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) says 618 persons have been evacuated from the derailed Abuja-Kaduna Train Service (AKTS).
The Managing Director of NRC, Dr Kayode Opeifa, gave the figure in a statement on Tuesday in Lagos.
“Following the derailment of the Kaduna-bound Abuja–Kaduna Train Service earlier today at Asham, Kaduna State, the NRC wishes to provide an update on the situation.
“A total of 618 persons comprising 583 passengers, 15 NRC crew members, one medical personnel, eight cleaners, and 11 catering staff were successfully evacuated from the train.
“Out of this number, seven passengers sustained varying degrees of injury and were immediately transported by ambulances to hospital facilities by medical personnel mobilised to the site,” he said.
The NRC boss added that the remaining passengers were conveyed safely back to Idu and Kubwa stations aboard a rescue train dispatched from Idu for that purpose.
“All have since returned safely to their destinations,” he said.
Opeifa said that in line with NRC’s commitment to passenger welfare, its third-party ticketing company had been directed to immediately issue refunds to all passengers onboard the affected service.
“Furthermore, the process of investigation into the incident has commenced under the supervision of relevant authorities, including the Federal Ministry of Transport.
“Meanwhile, all Abuja–Kaduna Train Services (AKTS) have been temporarily suspended pending recovery of the site, further clearance and official announcement of service resumption.
“We sincerely regret the inconvenience caused and thank our esteemed passengers and the general public for their understanding,” he said.
