The Managing Director of the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC), Dr. Kayode Opeifa has announced that the over 400 passengers that boarded last Tuesday’s derailed Abuja-Kaduna bound train have been contacted.
This was as he said that the development affected eight coaches and one locomotive, saying that the unfortunate incident has placed huge burden and demands on the NRC’s team in coordinating rescue efforts, to inform the presidency and the public, as well as activate emergency procedures simultaneously.
Opeifa, who stated these on Sunday, August 31, 2025, at a media briefing in Abuja, said that the newly revised emergency protocol of the Corporation was immediately put into action by engaging key agencies that included; the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Federal Ministry of Health, Kaduna State Government, FCT Administration, and the Nigerian military.
He said there were 618 passengers onboard at the time of the derailment, adding that seven coaches and the locomotive were damaged while 20 passengers sustained injuries with seven that were critically.
According to Opeifa; “The NRC quickly provided replacement coaches to evacuate stranded passengers and began contact tracing using passenger manifests within 45 minutes of the crash.
“Some passengers had already traveled to nearby towns, but we managed to trace them by phone. I personally visited at least seven injured passengers, including one who had made his way to Zaria”.
Opeifa particularly praised the swift response from the Nigerian Army, Air Force, police, local vigilantes, and other emergency personnel, whose actions he said saved lives.
He said; “Ambulances and medical teams were deployed by NEMA, the Federal Ministry of Health, Kaduna State Government, and FCT Administration. Medical staff on the trains prioritized life-saving efforts at the scene.
Commenting on recovery efforts so far, Opeifa said that by Saturday, August 30, 2025, two coaches and one locomotive were cleared from the crash site, with two more coaches expected to be removed before the end of Sunday.
The NRC MD said; “Engineers had laid about 50 meters of new track to facilitate this.
He praised the resilience of NRC’s rolling stock, noting that business-class passengers were unaware of the accident until disembarking, demonstrating the equipment’s quality and impact-absorbing capability.
On media relations during emergencies, Opeifa commended journalists for their coverage during emergencies, but called for accuracy to prevent panic.
He also enumerated the achievements of the NRC to include the reactivation of the Jos–Bukuru line, expansion of the Lagos–Ibadan corridor, and plans to connect major ports like Tin Can, Warri, and Onne to the rail network.
He described the feat as unprecedented in over 60 years of Nigerian railway history, just as he also announced the establishment of a Customer Service and Relations Department to engage passengers and the media.
Opeifa said that in spite of the accident, the incident has strengthened NRC’s resolve to modernize railway services and expand rail access in partnership with state governments and the Renewed Infrastructure Fund.
