Hundreds of passengers were left stranded on Monday after a train travelling from Kaduna to Abuja collided with another train along the rail corridor, prompting authorities to suspend operations on the route.
The incident occurred during the early morning rush hour, raising fresh concerns over safety procedures and the signaling system on the busy railway line.
Passengers said the train departed Kaduna as scheduled but later ran into another train on the same track. It remains unclear whether the other train was stationary or in motion at the time of the collision.
Eyewitnesses described the impact as sudden, causing a loud bang and an abrupt halt.
One passenger who shared his experience on social media said the train was moving steadily when it suddenly braked after hitting another train on the track.
Another passenger, Sada Malumfashi, said the force of the impact caused panic among passengers.
According to him, the train jolted violently, throwing some passengers off balance, while a number of people sustained injuries and were seen bleeding.
Another commuter reported that the train was delayed for about 30 minutes before proceeding toward Kubwa, adding that there had been no immediate communication from the Nigerian Railway Corporation.
The railway corporation has yet to release an official statement on the incident or confirm the number of casualties. However, preliminary reports indicate that although the collision caused damage to the front sections of the trains, no fatalities have been confirmed.
Emergency responders and security personnel have been deployed to the scene to assist affected passengers and secure the area.
The incident has also sparked concerns over the digital signaling system designed to prevent trains from occupying the same section of track simultaneously, with experts suggesting the collision may have resulted from a communication breakdown between train operators and the control centre or a malfunction in the automated signaling system.