Abuja Kaduna train.webp
The Digest:

The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau has identified a faulty track switch and inadequate maintenance as the primary causes of the recent Abuja-Kaduna train derailment at Asham Station. In its preliminary report, the NSIB revealed that Nigerian Railway Corporation personnel used a manually operated switch that had been previously declared unserviceable, marking the second derailment at the same location within 13 months.

Key Points:
  • NSIB preliminary report faults defective infrastructure and poor maintenance.
  • Derailment occurred at a manually operated switch declared unserviceable.
  • This was the second derailment at Asham Station within 13 months.
  • Damaged sleepers from the previous incident were only patched, not replaced.
  • NRC staff lacked refresher training; critical monitoring equipment was defective.
  • The August 26 incident injured 21 passengers among 618 on board.
  • NSIB recommended immediate infrastructure upgrades and staff retraining.
The findings highlight systemic safety failures in Nigeria's rail transport system, where temporary fixes and inadequate maintenance continue to endanger passenger safety on critical routes.

Rooted in the Storm.

Sources: NSIB Report, Vanguard Newspapers