Passengers on an Abuja-Kaduna train were today, Monday, trapped in Dutse, Kaduna State after the train they were travelling in developed engine problems minutes into the journey.
Daily Trust reports that the train developed a mechanical fault after departing the Rigasa Station in Kaduna.
The reports also said that the train stopped twice before getting to Dutse when it finally grinded to a halt.
Mida Joseph, an Assistant National Secretary of the Nigeria Union of Journalists who was a passenger on the train confirmed that it developed a fault around 7:00am.
He said that, “I left my house as early as 5:00am to join the 6:40 am train but unfortunately, I have been trapped here in the forest. This is not the first time I will be experiencing this mess.
Another passenger narrated his own experience on Saturday saying they ended up spending six hours before getting to Abuja.
“This is unfortunate. On Saturday, we spent five hours from Abuja to Kaduna. We left Abuja at 6:00 pm but we did not get to Kaduna until 11:00 pm,” he said.
A Nigeria Railway Corporation engineer who addressed Monday’s passengers told them it would take at least 2 hours to fix the fault with the engine.
According to him, “We are very sorry, the locomotive is faulty. We have contacted the Idu Train Station for another locomotive. It would take theme two hours to be here.”
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Train Passengers