Abuja-Kaduna rail line to be restored in 10 days – FG reveals

The Federal Government has revealed that the Abuja-Kaduna rail line will be restored in 10 days after a recent derailment.

Sa’idu Alkali, Minister of Transportation, made this known on Monday after inspecting the ongoing clearing of the accident scene.

The minister said workers of the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) have been on site “day and night” to repair the damaged tracks.

His words: “Let me start by thanking Mr President for his support since the incident happened.

“He has given us support to ensure that we move the locomotive and the coaches and fix the rail line so that we will be back into operation.”

Alkali commended the NRC managing director and his team for their swift response to the incident.

He explained that the derailment occurred at an interchange point, but added that investigations would determine the exact cause.

He said: “At the time the accident occurred, the locomotive was carrying eight coaches.

“We have successfully moved four out of the place as you can see. In the next 48 hours, we will be able to move all of them out of the site. In the next 10 days, we are going to restore the line.”

He said about 150 metres of the track was affected, which he described as a manageable stretch for repair.

The minister said the investigation team includes engineers from the Ministry of Transportation, NRC, China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC), and civil rights groups.

He said the outcome of the investigation will guide measures to prevent future derailments.