Kaduna -Abuja Train Resumes Service Today - Says NRC

Image; Abuja-Kaduna Train

By Muhammad Abubakar, Kaduna

The Nigerian Railway Corporation has announced the resumption of normal services on Abuja-Kaduna bound train after an indefinite suspension of it's service last week as a result of bandit attack.

its recall that, a terrorists group ISWAP, claimed responsible for the attack on the train on Monday, killing eight people and abducting many while some passengers on board the train escaped injured.

Announcing the resumption of the train services on Saturday, Managing Director of Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) Engr. Fidet Okhiria, has said "a high powered restoration team, led by Directors have been working round the clock to re-rail the coaches affected by the bomb blast. There is a coordinated two pronged simultaneous approach."

"Restoration of tracks for full resumption of normal train services will continue from today 2nd April, 2022," Okhiria said.

Giving an update on Saturday, Okhiria said 362 passengers boarded the ill-fated train, 170 were safe but 21 were still missing, but he was silent on the fate of the remaining 171.

“For the records, there were eleven (11) coaches on the train worked by Loco 2502, which is made up of four (4) SPA Coaches with 56 sitting capacity per coach and 7 SP Coaches with 88 sitting capacity per coach.”

“Thus, the total seat capacity of the train is 840 seats. You may also recall that the Train Manifest contained 362 validated passengers aboard the train.

“The Corporation, in continuation of its concerted effort through repeated calls, has been able to confirm the safety of 170 passengers, while 21 passengers are reported missing by the relatives who made calls to us.

“While Loco 2702 with re-railment and restoration materials departed Idu Station, Abuja to the bomb blast site, another team with Loco 2502 departed Rigasa Station, Kaduna with re-railment and restoration materials to the same site. I am happy to inform you that as at the close of work on the 1st of April 2022, Coaches SP00004, SP00009, SP00012, SP00013 have all been re-railed and safely taken to our Rigasa Station in Kaduna.