The Management of the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) has apologised to passengers on the Abuja–Kaduna Train Service (AKTS) who experienced delays on Monday after the train was forced to return to Kaduna due to a safety precaution.
Managing Director of the NRC, Dr. Kayode Opeifa, dismissed reports claiming that passengers were stranded, describing them as misleading. He explained that the train turned back when it was discovered that the backup engine was losing power shortly after departure, an action he said was guided strictly by safety protocol.
“Though the train could have continued the journey, security concerns along the route and the fact that we were less than 30 minutes into the trip made it advisable to return to Rigasa, Kaduna, for safety reasons,” Dr. Opeifa said.
The train resumed its journey at 4:00 p.m., about an hour later, and arrived Idu at 6:52 p.m., arriving 80 minutes behind schedule. Passengers were kept fully informed via the train’s Public Address System and announcements at the Rigasa Station.
Dr. Opeifa compared the decision to an aircraft diverting to the nearest airport when an engine develops a fault. He noted that if it had been a morning trip, the train could have continued and taken refuge at the nearest stations, Jere, Rijana, or Gidan, but this option was avoided because the incident occurred during an evening journey.
The NRC boss apologised for the inconvenience caused and urged media organisations to verify their reports before publication to avoid misleading the public.
He reassured passengers that the NRC remains committed to upholding the highest standards of safety and reliability across all its corridors, whether narrow or standard gauge, and remains dedicated to ensuring that passengers reach their destinations safely.
