NRC clarifies Abuja–Kaduna train delay, says it’s for safety

NRC clarifies Abuja–Kaduna train delay, says it’s for safety 

 

The Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) has refuted reports that passengers were abandoned during Wednesday’s Abuja–Kaduna afternoon train service, explaining that a brief delay was the result of a precautionary safety measure.

In a statement issued on Thursday, the Managing Director of the NRC, Dr. Kayode Opeifa, in a statement apologized to passengers onboard the affected service, which had departed Kaduna before a backup engine began to lose power.

According to him, the train was still less than 30 minutes into the journey when the issue was detected, prompting an immediate decision to return to the Rigasa Station in Kaduna.

“Though the train could have continued, the decision to pull back was taken strictly on safety and security grounds. Given the nature of the route and the time of day, returning to Rigasa was the safest option,” Opeifa said.

He described media reports suggesting that passengers were left stranded as “misleading,” stressing that all passengers were kept fully informed through the train’s public address system and at the station.

The journey resumed by 4pm, roughly an hour after the return, and the train eventually arrived at Idu Station at 6:52pm., about 80 minutes behind schedule.

To explain the decision further, Opeifa drew an analogy with aviation protocol: “It is the same way an aircraft diverts to the nearest airport when there is an engine issue rather than proceed to its planned destination.”

He added that if the incident had occurred during a morning trip, the train could have continued and stopped at the nearest stations—Jere, Rijana, or Gidan—but such an approach was not advisable for an evening journey.

While apologizing again for the inconvenience, the NRC boss urged journalists to verify information before publication to avoid misinforming the public.

Opeifa reaffirmed the corporation’s commitment to the highest standards of safety and reliability across all its rail corridors, noting that passenger safety remains the NRC’s top priority.