Nigeria Railway Corporation Restores Abuja-Kaduna Services Following High-Speed Locomotive Detachment and Collision Near Asham Station

NRC Managing Director Kayode Opeifa confirms the restoration of Abuja-Kaduna train services following a locomotive collision and derailment on March 16.

By: AXL Media

Published: Mar 18, 2026, 4:52 AM EDT

Source: The information in this article was sourced from Independent

Restoration of Vital Rail Connectivity

The Nigerian Railway Corporation, NRC, has officially reopened the Abuja-Kaduna rail line to the public following a brief suspension of services caused by a serious operational accident. Managing Director Kayode Opeifa announced the resumption via a formal statement, noting that train services were fully restored by Wednesday, March 18, 2026. This swift return to normalcy follows the successful completion of safety checks and the return of the AKTS trip from Rigasa, signaling that the critical transport corridor between the nation's capital and Kaduna State is once again functional for thousands of daily commuters.

The Mechanical Failure Near Asham Station

The interruption was triggered by a specific technical failure that occurred on the morning of March 16, 2026, on a downward section of the track near Asham Station. According to official reports, train KA2 had departed Rigasa and made a scheduled stop at Jere, where an additional rear locomotive was attached to the fleet. Shortly after departing Jere, the locomotive became detached from the main body of the train while in motion. The detached unit rolled forward and collided with the rear of the passenger carriages, resulting in what the NRC described as a serious operational occurrence that required immediate emergency intervention.

Passenger Safety and Emergency Response

At the time of the collision, the train was transporting 429 passengers in addition to its crew and security personnel. While the impact caused significant distress and a number of injuries, the NRC confirmed that there were no fatalities resulting from the accident. Medical personnel provided immediate attention to the injured at the site before the train was cleared to continue its journey to Idu Station in Abuja. The corporation has since lauded the swift response of its technical teams, whose intervention ensured that the tracks were cleared and assessed for safety in less than 48 hours.