NRC suspends Abuja-Kaduna route train services over rail track explosion
The Nigeria Railway Corporation (NRC) says it has indefinitely suspended its train services for the Abuja-Kaduna route due to an explosion on rail track which occurred on Wednesday evening.
The NRC announced this in a statement issued on Thursday in Abuja and signed by its management.
It apologised to passengers for the inconveniences the suspension might have caused them, adding that measures were in place to resume the services very soon.
The statement reads in part:
“The board and management of the NRC hereby inform the general public, particularly our valued passengers on Abuja-Kaduna Train Service that there was explosion on the rail track.
“This affected the fuel tank of the locomotive on Abuja to Kaduna last train (AK10) on Oct. 20.
“However, the situation has been brought under control by a relief locomotive that towed the train to Rigasa Station, Kaduna State.
“The affected locomotive has been sent to the workshop for assessment and repairs. We are also pleased to announce that there were no reported casualties or injuries to either the passengers or the train crew.
“The NRC intends to resume train services soonest, after appropriate measures, checks and maintenance are carried out,“ the statement added.
Although the NRC management did not disclose the cause of the explosion, sources told Periscope International that the explosion may have been carried out by bandits.
Kaduna has over the years become one of the strongholds of insecurity caused by banditry activities, where individuals, school children, hospitals and even military formations were attacked and kidnapped with impunity for ransom.
