JOHN ADAMS MINNA
A Kano bound train travelling from Lagos has derailed in Jangaru village in Bosso Local Government Area of Niger State.
The 15-wagon train carrying an unspecified number of people, mostly traders travelling to Kano through Minna, Kaduna, derailed after running into cows crossing the rail.
The incident which occurred at about 1:30 pm on Monday left several passengers injured as it crushed over 10 cows.
According to an eyewitnesses account, most affected were the first class coaches attached to the engine, the canteen and the second class coaches which fell off completely from the rail. Five coaches in all were affected.
It was further gathered that those injured were attempting to jump out of the train for safety through the window
As at the time of filing this report, the stranded passengers were looking for means of getting out of the Jangaru village to Minna, a distance of about 40 kilometres.
Although the Nigeria Railway Corporation office in Minna was said to have sent an ambulance to convey the injured passengers to the hospital for treatment, nothing has been done to equally evacuate other passengers to safety.
Efforts to get the staff of the Nigeria Railway Corporation to comment on the incident proved abortive as they were all unwilling to speak, claiming that the headquarters needed to be brief first on the incident.