Hundreds of passengers stranded as Kano-bound cargo train derails in Niger

Hundreds of passengers travelling to the northern part of the country have been stranded at the Nigerian Railway Corporation, Minna terminal, Niger State, after a cargo train derailed from its tracks.

The train, which took off from Lagos about a week ago, could not continue to Kano, its final destination, after it derailed.

People in the other passenger train coming from Lagos could not proceed as the derailed train blocked the tracks.

One of the stranded passengers, who gave his name as Idowu, said technicians who were on site to remove the Kano-bound cargo train from the Minna terminal to pave way for free movement of trains conveying passengers, were seen using jacks instead of a crane.

“Our problems were compounded by the fact that instead of using a crane, the NRC technicians used a jack to evacuate the cargo train,” he added.

Majority of the passengers who were returning to their base after the Christmas and New Year holidays condemned the pace at which the technicians were working.

Some of the passengers decried what they termed a lack of commitment of the Federal Government to rail transportation in the country.