Nigerian Railway halts operations after bandits bombed Abuja-Kaduna train

On Thursday, the Nigerian Railway Corporation instantly suspended its operations after bandits detonated explosives on the tracks serving the Abuja-Kaduna line.

The overnight attack between Wednesday night and Thursday morning left passengers traumatised, with witnesses reporting that the attackers also fired live rounds into driver compartments.

Pictures circulated online show how explosives ripped through the windshield of one of the trains conveying passengers from Kaduna to Abuja.

A notice on the NRC website on Thursday afternoon said: “Due to unforeseen circumstances, train services have been immediately suspended for the safety of our dear passengers. Efforts are in place to restore service. Further information would follow immediately service is restored.”

The suspension could leave thousands of passengers stranded across the country. Civilians have embraced rail transportation following repeated attacks by bandits that have rendered road transportation too dangerous.

The Abuja/Kaduna Train Service Station Manager, Paschal Nnorli, also confirmed that there was an attack on the train, but could not tell if it was with an explosive.

“Yes, there was an attack, but right now I cannot confirm if it was an explosive or bomb attack as people are saying,” he said.

Nnorli added, “Investigations are ongoing and I’ll give you updates as they come in. Out engineers have been mobilised to the area. And right now we have suspended services.”