KOGI STATE — Dozens of train passengers, including elderly travelers, were left stranded for hours deep inside a forest in Kogi State on Wednesday, after a train traveling from Agbor, Delta State to Itakpe broke down mid-journey. What followed was a harrowing ordeal that exposed the shocking state of Nigeria’s transport infrastructure and left citizens fearing for their lives.
According to Kola Edokpayi, a passenger who shared his terrifying experience on Facebook, the train ground to a halt in what he described as an “evil forest” with no mobile network coverage, surrounded by Fulani herders and their cattle. Stranded and afraid, many passengers chose to embark on a risky three-hour “endurance trek” through the forest in a desperate bid for safety.
“The train developed technical issues that couldn’t be fixed immediately. We were surrounded by Fulani herders. Passengers became apprehensive,” Edokpayi wrote. “It felt like a scene from a horror movie.”
What made matters worse was the lack of any immediate rescue efforts or backup systems. Passengers, including the elderly, were left to fend for themselves in what could easily have turned into a national tragedy. Edokpayi recounted how one older man nearly collapsed during the trek and had to be supported by others to survive.
Despite fears of kidnappers and attacks—given the notorious security threats in the region—Edokpayi said the herders they encountered were surprisingly helpful, guiding them and offering assistance through the remote terrain.
In a follow-up post after eventually reaching Abuja, Edokpayi called the experience “horrific,” likening it to a biblical test of survival. He blasted the Nigerian government for allowing such a breakdown to happen without adequate contingency plans, stating:
Airlines cancel flights anyhow. Roads are infested with kidnappers. Now trains break down in evil forests. Welcome to Bongo—the heartbeat of abracadabra.
His emotional outburst on social media has sparked outrage online, with many Nigerians demanding accountability from the Ministry of Transportation and questioning the safety of the country’s rail network.
Though all passengers were eventually rescued after encountering motorcyclists and local rescue teams, the incident has reignited public frustration over Nigeria’s decaying infrastructure and the government’s failure to prioritize citizen safety.
As anger mounts, one thing is clear: for many passengers on that ill-fated train, it wasn’t just a journey gone wrong—it was a brutal reminder of how exposed everyday Nigerians remain in a country where basic systems continue to fail.
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