The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) has announced the launch of an investigation into the derailment of a train coach on the Abuja-Kaduna corridor at Jeremy Station, which occurred on Sunday morning.
This announcement was made in a statement signed by Mrs. Bimbo Oladeji, the NSIB Director of Consumer Public Affairs and Consumer Protection.
The statement noted that a team had been deployed to the site of the incident to conduct a thorough investigation.
“NSIB is aware of the derailment of an Abuja-bound train from Kaduna which occurred halfway into the journey at Jere.
“A team has been deployed to the site of the incident,” the statement read in part.
Despite the derailment, the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) stated that all passengers on the Kaduna-Rigasa to Idu Abuja train arrived at their destination safely.
Back story
In the early hours of Sunday, some train coaches were reported to have derailed on the Kaduna-Abuja corridor at Jeremy Station. Fortunately, all passengers on board arrived at their destinations safely.
The Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC), in a statement signed by Deputy Director of Public Relations Yakub Mahmood, confirmed that normal train services between Kaduna-Rigasa and Idu-Abuja are continuing as usual.
Additionally, a team of NRC engineers was deployed to the site on Sunday to restore the affected locations and prevent future derailments.
The NRC further assured passengers on the route of their safety and comfort, emphasizing their commitment to maintaining high safety standards and reliable services always.
What you should know
In recent years, derailments have been the predominant type of train accident in Nigeria.
According to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) 2023 Social Statistics Report, which examined socio-economic developments from 2020 to 2022, derailments were the most common train accidents during this period.
The report recorded 183 derailment incidents, with 57 in 2020, 61 in 2021, and 65 in 2022.
Loss of control and locomotive failure were the second most common causes of train accidents, with 155 incidents recorded between 2020 and 2022.
The third major type of train accident was detachment, with a total of 51 incidents over the same period.
Additionally, the report noted 9 accidents related to washouts, 28 collision incidents, and 41 accidents due to miscellaneous activities.
This data highlights the urgent need for improved safety measures and infrastructure maintenance in the Nigerian railway system to prevent such accidents.