The Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) yesterday said while investigation is still ongoing on the derailment of the Abuja-Kaduna Train which occurred on August 26, 2025, the incident must have been caused by human error.
This is just as the corporation announced that it has recorded substantial progress in its recovery, repair, and safety efforts.
Daily Trust reports that the incident which occurred on August 26, 2025 at Asham left some passengers injured.
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The NRC Managing Director, Dr. Kayode Opeifa while providing an update yesterday disclosed that the NRC engineers had completed recovery of coaches and locomotives while track repair is nearing completion.
Opeifa disclosed that out of the 618 passengers on board the affected train, 22 sustained injuries and are at various stages of recovery.
"We have successfully contacted 512 passengers, while 71 are yet to be reached due to various reasons ranging from not responding, wrong numbers, and unavailability," he added.
On the cause of the incident, he disclosed that the corporation had completed its in-house investigation with the management accepting all recommendations of the internal investigation team.
"While awaiting the outcome of the committee set up by the Minister of Transportation, Senator Said Alkali, as well as the findings of the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB), we wish to state clearly that our investigation points to human error -- excessive speeding and misapplication of the emergency braking system," the MD stated.
He however added that an official announcement on the resumption of train services on the corridor would be made very soon.
He added, "The Corporation confirmed that its team of engineers has successfully re-railed and recovered all coaches and locomotives involved in the incident. These assets have since been moved to designated workshops for comprehensive assessment and further technical work.
"Our team of engineers has successfully repaired the main line to a level that allows us to safely resume operations. While train services will recommence, work on the secondary track will continue simultaneously. During this period, the second line will remain out of use until all necessary repairs are fully completed.
"The engineers have now commenced a comprehensive safety and infrastructure assessment to ensure that all aspects of the corridor meet the highest standards of safety, durability, and reliability before operations resume. This phase includes a thorough evaluation of the repaired section and other critical infrastructure along the route.
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"NRC emphasized that the resumption of operations will only take place after all necessary technical inspections, tests, and certifications are concluded. "Safety remains our top priority," the Corporation stated, reaffirming its determination to restore public confidence in rail services."
