NRC confirms rescue of 618 passengers, launches probe into AKTS derailment
The Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) has confirmed that all 618 passengers aboard the Abuja–Kaduna Train Service (AKTS) that derailed on Tuesday, August 26, 2025, were rescued safely, though seven sustained injuries.
In a statement on Wednesday, the Corporation said the incident, which involved two locomotives and eight coaches, prompted a swift multi-agency response. It noted that the injured passengers were taken to hospital, with some already discharged. By the end of the first day of recovery operations, one locomotive had been successfully moved back to the NRC base at Idu.
The NRC disclosed that the Nigeria Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) had commenced on-site investigations, while its own teams, alongside officials of the Federal Ministry of Transportation (FMOT) representing the Honourable Minister of Transportation, supervised the rescue, evacuation, and recovery.
Also present at the site were personnel from the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Federal Ministry of Health, Nigerian Army, Nigerian Air Force, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Man O’ War, local vigilantes, and media organisations, including NTA, Channels TV, TVC, and Arise News, which provided live updates.
The statement added that on Wednesday, August 27, recovery and investigation continued with the establishment of a fact-finding committee comprising experienced NRC officers from key operational departments. The team, reporting to the Managing Director, was mandated to gather and review evidence for presentation to the Federal Government and NSIB.
Additional recovery personnel were deployed from Minna and Bauchi, while senior NRC officials, including directors of operations and safety, joined the process. NSIB investigators also intensified their technical work at the site.
By the close of Day 2, one derailed coach had been recovered, bringing the total number of rolling stock retrieved to a locomotive and one coach. The Honourable Minister of Transportation also announced the constitution of a high-level committee to examine the immediate and remote causes of the accident.
The NRC assured that recovery and investigation efforts would continue until all rolling stock is cleared and a full report is submitted.
