The Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) apologised to passengers on the Abuja-Kaduna afternoon service after a safety-related engine issue forced the train to return to Rigasa shortly after departure.

In a statement, NRC Managing Director Dr Kayode Opeifa clarified that the halt was a precautionary safety measure after the backup engine began losing power within the first thirty minutes. He stressed that security concerns along the route made returning to Kaduna the safest option, even though the train could have continued.

The train resumed at 4 pm and reached Idu at 18:52, about 80 minutes behind schedule, with passengers kept informed throughout. Dr Opeifa compared the action to aviation practice, where aircraft divert to the nearest airport when engine issues arise.

He urged media outlets to verify sensitive operational reports before publication and reaffirmed NRC’s commitment to high safety and reliability standards on both narrow and standard gauge lines.