Abuja Train Accident: Police Launch Probe Into Woman’s Death

The FCT Police Command on Friday said it has commenced an investigation into the accident of a train and a car which left a woman dead in Abuja.

On Thursday, a passenger train heading to Abuja from Kaduna state crushed a woman to death in the Chikakore axis of the Kubwa area of the Federal Capital Territory.

The incident happened at about 10 am.

Spokesperson of the FCT Police Command, Josephine Adeh, in a statement said upon receiving information of the incident, investigators attached to the Byazin Divisional Police Headquarters were drafted swiftly to the scene and took charge of the situation.

“The FCT Police Command is aware of the unfortunate incident of rail/motor fatal accident that happened at Chikakore axis in the Kubwa area council of the FCT,” the statement reads.

“Upon receipt of the information, crime scene investigators attached to the Byazin Divisional Police Headquarters drifted swiftly to the scene, took charge of the situation, where the victim was confirmed dead by a medical practitioner on the ground.

“Investigation has commenced by the railway division having jurisdiction over the track. Findings and safety tips already existing will be reiterated to ensure a non-repeat of the incident shortly.”

According to eyewitnesses, the train was said to have been a few minutes away from the Kubwa station when the incident occurred.

The victim – Selimota Idowu Suleiman – was later identified as a broadcast journalist. Until her death, she was a worker with the NTA Channel 5 Abuja and was on her way to the office before the incident.

Sympathisers at the scene of the train which rammed into her car claimed Suleiman’s car could not move fast while the oncoming fast-moving train zoomed along.

This is coming just 13 days after the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) restored the services of the Abuja-Kaduna train, months after it suspended services following an attack on one of the trains servicing the route by Boko Haram on March 28.