A train derailed on Tuesday morning in northern Nigeria, injuring seven people, according to both the national railway operator and authorities. Images shared on social media showed at least three carriages tipped over on the troubled line connecting Abuja with the northern city of Kaduna.
The Nigerian Railway Corporation said there were no deaths, but emergency and medical personnel were quickly mobilized to help the injured. Nigeria’s National Emergency Management Agency reported the seven wounded received immediate first aid before being taken to a nearby hospital.
The Abuja-Kaduna line is known for its frequent breakdowns, with an axle issue disrupting the rail service last week. Another train came off the tracks near the station in Jere last year, though that incident fortunately caused no deaths.
A severe 2022 gang attack on the line killed a dozen people and kidnapped around 60 passengers, halting the service for six months. The 186-kilometer line was inaugurated in 2016 to provide travelers with a safe alternative to the region’s dangerous roads. Road travel in the region is regularly hit by gunmen and dangerous traffic accidents, making the railway a necessary alternative.
