The Honourable Minister of Transportation, Senator Said Ahmed Alkali, has reassured Nigerians that the Federal Government remains committed to achieving seamless rail interconnectivity across the country.
He gave this assurance in Abuja, According to him, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration is working to connect major cities through a modern, efficient, and safe rail network.
Senator Alkali also addressed the recent train incident near Asham Station. He described it as a minor technical fault that did not seriously disrupt operations.
The incident occurred on Monday between kilometres 50 and 51, near Asham Station.
Preliminary findings show that a fault in one or more couplers caused the problem. The fault caused a loud impact and a collision involving the power car, the trailing locomotive, and a passenger coach.
The Minister clarified that the incident did not cause any derailment.
He explained that railway officials safely detached the affected components. These included Loco 2809, power car BVA0002, and passenger coach SP0006.
After that, the train continued its journey.
It left the scene at 9:42 a.m. It arrived at Kubwa at 10:10 a.m. and reached Idu at 10:39 a.m. The incident caused a delay of about 38 minutes.
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The Minister said no one died in the incident. However, 26 people sustained varying degrees of injury.
Those affected included passengers, onboard staff, medical personnel, cleaners, and security operatives.
He said medical teams attended to all injured persons immediately. He also confirmed that they are now in stable condition.
Senator Alkali urged Nigerians to remain calm and keep faith in the country’s railway system. He stressed that safety remains a top priority under President Tinubu’s administration.
He said the government will continue to improve rail services, strengthen safety measures, and deliver a reliable transport system that supports economic growth.
The Ministry also said it has started a full investigation into the incident. It added that officials are already taking steps to prevent a similar occurrence.
