The Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) says the Abuja–Kaduna passenger train service will resume next week after being suspended for a month due to track damage at Asham.

The suspension followed an August 26 derailment that disrupted operations on the busy corridor. NRC’s Chief Public Relations Officer, Callistus Unyimadu, said in a statement on Saturday that repair works and safety checks on the affected track have now been completed.

He noted that 512 of the 583 passengers on board the affected train had already been refunded, with efforts ongoing to reach the remaining passengers.

Unyimadu assured that passenger safety and comfort remain the NRC’s top priority, while also commending the patience of commuters during the suspension. He acknowledged the support of the Federal Ministry of Transportation, security agencies, and other stakeholders during the recovery process.

Investigations by the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau earlier revealed that poor maintenance and a faulty track switch were key factors in the incident. The agency found that damaged sleepers were only patched rather than properly repaired, while personnel had not received refresher training.

The NRC said details on the official resumption date and train schedules will be released soon.