Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has expressed concern over Tuesday’s derailment of a passenger train on the Abuja-Kaduna route, calling for urgent reforms in the nation’s transport system.
Atiku, in a post on his official X handle on Thursday, said while it was a relief that no lives were lost, the incident highlighted glaring safety gaps that must be addressed without delay.
“I am deeply concerned about the derailment of the Abuja-Kaduna train on Tuesday, which resulted in injuries to at least 14 passengers.
“It is a relief that there were no fatalities, but this incident underscores the urgent need for action,” he wrote.
He also urged the Federal Government to provide transparent updates on the incident and ensure stronger safety protocols to restore public confidence in the country’s rail services.
“We need transparent updates and a commitment to strengthening safety protocols that will restore public confidence in our rail infrastructure system,” he added.
PUNCH Online reports that a passenger train travelling from Abuja to Kaduna derailed on Tuesday morning, leaving several carriages overturned and causing panic among travellers.
The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau Six has confirmed that six passengers sustained injuries in the incident, which prompted the deployment of a go-team to the site to gather evidence, engage stakeholders, and begin an investigation into the accident.
According to a statement signed by the Director, Public Affairs and Family Assistance, Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau, Bimbo Olawumi Oladeji, on Tuesday, the accident took place at KM 49, between Kubwa Station and Asham Station. Current information indicates that six passengers sustained injuries, though no fatalities were recorded.
The NSIB confirmed that a go-team has been deployed to the site to collect evidence, interact with stakeholders, and begin investigating the circumstances that led to the derailment.
The Minister of Transportation, Said Alkali, stated that the federal government has constituted a committee to investigate the train derailment that occurred on Tuesday at Jere town while the train was travelling from Abuja to Kaduna.
The minister said the committee would also make recommendations on how to prevent similar incidents in the future and identify ways to enhance the safety and effectiveness of rail transportation in Nigeria.
