The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau has released a preliminary report on the Abuja-Kaduna train derailment that occurred at Asham Station.
According to the report, a malfunctioned switch mechanism was responsible for the derailment. The Asham Station automatic crossing point switch mechanism was found unserviceable and manually operated with a broken point clip.
The train derailed shortly after passing the track switch point at Asham station. The forward locomotive and seven adjoining coaches derailed, resulting in injuries to twenty-one passengers. Fortunately, there were no fatalities among the 618 people on board, including NRC crew members, security personnel, and service staff. “The occurrence was the second derailment at Asham Station within 13 months,” the report noted.
Investigations revealed that some sleepers at Asham Station that had been damaged in the previous occurrence were only patched. The Nigerian Railway Corporation personnel had only initial training and no formal refresher training. The operational and maintenance equipment, including spare parts, were not readily accessible. Critical equipment like CCTV cameras, communication devices, and clocks were also defective. “NRC personnel had only initial training and no formal refresher training,” the report stated.
The NSIB has issued safety recommendations, urging the NRC to replace all compromised sleepers, install OEM standard point switches along the Abuja Kaduna corridor, and restore all defective monitoring equipment. “The NRC should provide formal refresher training for NRC personnel to ensure staff remain up to date with safety procedures and operational best practices,” the report stated. The bureau emphasized that the findings are preliminary and subject to further analysis, with a final report expected to provide deeper conclusions and additional safety measures.
The derailment resulted in injuries to twenty-one passengers, while no fatalities were recorded. The NSIB is working to conduct a technical inspection of the turnout and switch mechanism at Asham Station, as well as a thorough examination of the track alignment and overall infrastructure condition. This will help identify the root cause of the derailment and inform the final report.
The Nigerian Railway Corporation is expected to take immediate action to address the safety concerns raised by the NSIB. By adopting these recommendations, the NRC can enhance the safety and reliability of its operations, preventing similar incidents in the future. The NSIB’s investigation aims to improve railway safety in Nigeria and prevent future accidents.
