A passenger train travelling from Abuja to Kaduna derailed on Tuesday morning, leaving several coaches toppled and causing panic among travellers.

The mishap occurred at about 11:09 a.m. at KM 49, between Kubwa Station and Asham Station, according to the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC). The train had earlier departed Abuja at 9:45 a.m.

Eyewitnesses described chaotic scenes as frightened passengers scrambled to safety. Military personnel were deployed to the site to assist with evacuations and restore order.

In a statement issued via its official X account, the NRC confirmed the derailment of its Kaduna-bound AKTS service and said emergency services had been activated.

“Emergency rescue, medical personnel, and nearby hospitals have already been mobilised. Full compliment of security already on ground as effort is ongoing to move all passengers on train back to Abuja safely,” the statement read.

The corporation appealed for calm, urging passengers and the public to remain patient as efforts continued to ensure safety and restore normalcy. The cause of the derailment and the number of passengers affected were yet to be disclosed at press time.