Vandals have stolen multi-billion naira equipment in at least 66 major attacks on the facilities of the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) in the last nine months, investigations by 21st CENTURY CHRONICLE have shown.
These attacks, which in most cases force the cancellation of train services in the affected routes, took place across eight states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
Data obtained from analysis of reported vandal incidents revealed that these attacks happened between January and September 2021.
Findings by this newspaper revealed that federal capital authorities was forced to indefinitely suspend the multi-billion Abuja Metro Rail Line after its track was vandalized 48 times.
The 42-kilometer standard rail gauge, which is the first rapid transit system in the country and in West Africa and the second such system in sub-saharan Africa (after Addis Ababa Light Rail), was launched on July 12, 2018.
The twin attacks on the Abuja -Kaduna train between Rijana and Dutse recently was one of the most daring in the country. While the NRC authorities said it was vandals that attacked the train with explosives, others fingered ISWAP – a terror organization.
Most of the vandalized railway property are sold in black markets, making the corporation lose billions in replacement, maintenance and repairs.
These attacks happened in Nasarawa, Kaduna, Benue, Enugu, Niger, Plateau, Ogun, Delta and the FCT.
Irked by these endless vandalism, the NRC Managing Director, Engr Fidet Okhiria, said recently in an interview that the corporation needs about N61.5 billion to carry out maintenance of its facilities in 2022.
21st CENTURY CHRONICLE reports that items stolen and carted away include railway slippers, tracks, nuts, bolts, cables, racks, weld-shear, rods, puder and other accessories.
Chinese, cops, politicians among 107 arrested suspects
Findings by this newspaper revealed that a total of 107 suspected vandals have been arrested so far. Among them were two politicians namely Special Adviser to the Governor of Nasarawa State on Infrastructure Yusuf Musa, and a former supervisory councilor on education, Nasarawa Eggon LGA, Mohammed Isiaka.
There were also a Chinese national, Mr Marra Thai, who is the Manager of Yong Xing Steel Company, Tunga Maje, FCT Abuja; and Samuel Shagbaor, a staff of the NRC.
Others are two police officers: Inspector Mali Peter and Sergeant Ibrahim Usman, as well as official of Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).
Investigations by 21st CENTURY CHRONICLE revealed that the highest single vandal incident was in May 2021 in Kaduna state, where 1,600 slippers were stolen and 10 suspects arrested.
This was followed by the stealing of bolts, nuts and slippers totaling 717 in Benue on May 18, 2021.
Seventeen suspects were arrested in Nasarawa State over series of vandal attacks.
Abuja Metro Line suspended over vandalism
The ambitious railway metroline being operated by the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has stopped due to vandalisation of its facilities.
The acting Secretary, FCTA Transport Secretariat, Usman Yahaya told 21st CENTURY CHRONICLE that at the last count, “48 points were vandalised.”
The new Chinese-built light railway network in Abuja was launched on July 12, 2018, after 11 years of construction.
The first phase, built by China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation at a cost of $823 million, comprises of 45.25 kilometers of track on two lines. When completed, there will be six lines and 292 kilometers of track.
It was announced last year that the Chinese state-run company would also construct the second phase of the network.
However. Yahaya told this newspaper that about N5 billion worth of equipment have been vandalised, adding that “the Abuja Rail Mass Transit cannot resume unless and until the vandalised points are repaired.”
He said efforts were being made to secure the facilities. “The FCTA is presently collaborating with the Nigeria Police Force and the NSCDC to safeguard the critical national infrastructure.”
He said the FCTA is making arrangements to engage private security companies to protect unmanned sections of the project.
N61.5bn for maintenance of rail infrastructure
Mr Okhiria disclosed this in Lagos, when members of the National Assembly Joint Committee on Transportation, led by its chairman, Abdulfatai Buhari, visited the corporation on an oversight function.
He said the N61.5 billion budget proposal was captured under 22 budget lines.
He said the corporation has requested N61.5 billion for procurement of spare (including lubricants) for the locomotives, coaches and wagons; Insurance of locomotives and rolling stocks; rehabilitation of track from Port Harcourt to Makurdi; maintenance of roads into stators, rest houses, workshop, chalets end operational residential quarters, among others.
Checks on the 2022 budget proposal of the railway corporation reveals some ongoing projects being executed which include the general rehabilitation and repairs pf rail track nationwide at N1.1 billion; Makurdi-Jos-Kaduna line at the cost of N200 million; procurement and rehabilitation of rolling stock (narrow gage) nationwide also at N200 million; as well as the preservation of its environment costing N1 billion.
Why NSCDC can’t secure rail tracts – Official
With other critical infrastructure, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has the mandate to among others protect the railway installations nationwide.
However, the recent surge in the stealing and vandalisation of railway installations has put the NSCDC in the spotlight in achieving this mandate.
“Apart from the railway, the NSCDC is responsible for the protection of the pipelines, communications line, power installations, among others,” the spokesperson of NSCDC Olusola Odumosu told this newspaper.
Odumosu said: “Even if we line up all our men, we would not be able to cover all the railway lines all over the country at the same time. The manpower is simply not enough.”
He said “Even at that, our men are the ones arresting most of the vandals and thieves of railway equipment and facilities.
“We are applying advanced technology and intelligence in the course of protecting the installations nationwide. We may not be at the spot where these crimes take place, with our intelligence, we arrest suspects while transporting vandalized and stolen items.”
The spokesperson said the agency needs more manpower, “we need government support.” He appealed on communities to stop compromising with thieves who vandalise railway installations.
“People should report suspects to the nearest
security agents who will arrest them immediately,” he said.
Vandals greatest saboteurs of railway – Official
The spokesperson of NRC, Mr Yakubu Mahmoud told 21st CENTURY CHRONICLE that the activities of vandals of their installations were affecting operations of the corporation.
“When a bridge is broken, it means there is nothing that can be done,” Mahmoud said.
He said apart from losing billions worth of property, the corporation is also losing millions in revenue whenever its facilities are vandalized.
