Abuja-Kaduna Rail Safety Assessment Begins Following Asham Incident – Opeifa

By; MATTHEW UKACHUNWA, Lagos

Engineers of Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) have begun a comprehensive safety and infrastructure assessment on Abuja-Kaduna railway corridor which had train derailment on 26th August, 2025.

The assessment is being carried out in order to ensure that all aspects of the corridor meet the highest standard of safety, durability and reliability before operations resume.

The assessment phase includes a thorough evaluation of the repaired section and other critical infrastructure along the route.

Managing Director of Nigerian Railway Corporation, Dr. Kayode Opeifa, disclosed the development in a statement titled: “NRC Completes Recovery of Coaches and Locomotives, Track Repair Nears Completion and Safety Assessment Begins Following Asham Incident.”The statement was released on 21st September, 2025.

“The corporation also confirmed that its team of engineers has successfully re-railed and recovered all coaches and locomotives involved in the incident.

“These assets have since been moved to designated workshops for comprehensive assessment and further technical work,” Opeifa said, adding: “Our team of engineers has successfully repaired the main line to a level that allows us to safely resume operations.”

According to the NRC chief, while train services will start again, work on the secondary track will continue simultaneously. “During this period, the second line will remain out of use until all necessary repairs are fully completed,” Opeifa said.

He emphasized that the resumption of operations will only take place after all necessary technical inspections, tests and certifications are concluded.

“Safety”, Opeifa stressed, “remains our top priority,” as the Corporation reaffirmed its determination to restore public confidence in rail services.

The NRC leader said: “On passenger welfare, we confirm that out of the 618 passengers on board the affected train, 22 sustained injuries and are at various stages of recovery.

“We have successfully contacted 512 passengers, while 71 are yet to be reached due to various reasons ranging from not responding, wrong numbers and unavailability.

“We have also completed an in-house investigation into the incident, with management accepting all recommendations of the internal investigation team.”

“While awaiting the outcome of the committee set up by the Honourable Minister of Transportation, Senator Said Alkali, as well as the findings of the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB), we wish to state clearly that our investigation points to human error – excessive speeding and missapplication of emergency braking system.”