A train heading to Abuja from Kaduna derailed on Sunday morning, alarming passengers and prompting immediate response efforts.
The incident occurred around 9:00 AM near Jere, approximately an hour after the train departed from Kaduna at 8:05 AM. Fortunately, there have been no casualties reported as a result of the derailment.
The train, carrying dozens of passengers, came off the tracks in a mountainous area, complicating rescue and repair efforts. Despite the challenging terrain, three of the train’s carriages were confirmed to have derailed.
Emergency services, including soldiers and police officers, were quickly dispatched to the scene to secure the area and assist in recovery operations. Efforts are currently underway to repair the train and restore it to full operational status.
In other news, the planned inauguration of the Abuja Rail Mass Transit has been rescheduled from May 27 to May 29, 2024.
The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), through Anthony Ogunleye, the spokesperson for FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, announced this change in a statement issued on Thursday.
The statement explained that President Bola Tinubu would perform the inauguration at 1:00 p.m. on May 29th as part of the events commemorating his first year in office.
Meanwhile, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has disclosed plans by the federal government to offer Nigerians two months of free rides on the Abuja light rail service.
Speaking on Thursday in Abuja at the ministerial press briefing reviewing President Bola Tinubu’s administration’s one-year performance, Wike revealed that the president would commission the Abuja light rail and that the free rides would commence after the inauguration.