FG Sets Up Panel to Probe Abuja-Kaduna Train Accident

The Federal Government has inaugurated a high-powered committee to investigate Tuesday’s train derailment at Jere town, along the Abuja–Kaduna railway corridor.

The Minister of Transportation, Mr. Said Alkali, disclosed this in a statement issued on Wednesday by the Director of Press and Public Relations of the ministry, Mrs. Janet McDickson, in Abuja.

Alkali said the committee, which comprises all relevant stakeholders in the rail transport sector, has been mandated to investigate both the immediate and remote causes of the derailment. The panel is also tasked with recommending lasting solutions to prevent a recurrence.

“The safety of passengers remains the top priority of this administration. This investigation is necessary to identify what went wrong and to ensure that such incidents are permanently prevented,” the minister said.

He assured Nigerians that the government was committed to modernising the rail system and improving its safety standards, stressing that findings from the probe would be implemented swiftly.

The Abuja–Kaduna train service, one of Nigeria’s busiest rail corridors, has suffered repeated operational challenges in recent years, ranging from attacks to technical failures, raising concerns about passenger safety and infrastructure maintenance.