Two trains collided yesterday at Jebba Bridge bordering Niger and Kwara State with no fewer than 12 persons feared dead and several injured, according to report from the area.

The report by LEADERSHIP Sunday said that the two trains collided as a result of distorted schedule along the Western Route based on miscommunication among the operators along the route.

“Findings revealed that the train coming from the South-western part of the country took off from Ilorin, while the one from the north-western part took off from Minna early yesterday morning,” the paper said.

It said it learnt that usually the trains are scheduled in a way to avert such collision but the two trains had taken off before it was discovered that they were scheduled at the same time, hence the collision at the bridge.

“Witnesses said all attempts by the officials of both trains to avert the accident proved abortive as there was no standard mechanism to control their movement on the bridge and in a bid to avoid the collision, one of the trains fell under the bridge,” the report said.

It said it was learnt that the officials in the train tried to manoeuvre their way out as the train that took off from Minna was trying to reverse but to no avail, resulting in the collision.

“Rescue operations were still ongoing at the accident site at the time of this report,” the paper said, adding that when contacted, officials of the information unit of the North-Western district of Nigeria railway office in Minna declined comments on the accident, saying officials who went to the scene were yet to come back with a detailed report so they did not have the information requested.

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