The Railway Police in Kwara, Kano and Gombe States have arrested suspected vandals of critical railway infrastructure.
The Managing Director of the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC), Dr Kayode Opeifa, said this in a statement on Monday in Lagos.
Opeifa said fish plates, bolts, nuts and steel sleepers were vandalised at different railway lines, adding that thieves had removed 56 pieces of fish plates, bolt and nuts between kilometres 413 and 414 near ldi-Ose Village, Ilorin.
” The stolen materials which are essential for securing railway tracks were reportedly carted away to unknown destinations.
” Following an investigation led by Inspector Oniwara Babatunde and his team, police arrested Wasiu Musa of Ajia Village on June 12.
Hesaid “the suspect confessed to the crime and implicated another accomplice, Abdullahi Salman, who is currently at large,” he said.
The NRC boss added that on June 18, another suspect, Usman Bashir, was apprehended and 33 pieces of fish plates, 33 pieces of bolts and nuts, 80 pieces of AB & K fasteners and 38 other nuts were recovered from him.
He said that Insp Oniwara Musa was currently assisting with an ongoing investigation that would lead to the arrest of his accomplices.
” Also in Gombe, the railway police intercepted a blue vehicle loaded with suspected stolen steel rail sleepers.
” Two individuals were arrested in connection with the Gombe operation and are currently assisting with ongoing investigations,” he said.
Opeifa reiterated the corporation’s commitment to protecting railway fixed assets and warned that all acts of vandalism would be met with full legal force.
The NRC boss said that the Railway Police Command in Kano arrested four suspects on June 15, following a report of rail line vandalisation at Zakirai town in Gabasawa Local Government Area of Kano State.
According to him, all four had been taken to court and they pleaded guilty to the charges and were accordingly convicted by the court.
”The convicts are: Mukhter Muhammed (30), Abdullahi Musa (21), Sa’idu Yushe’u (26) and Salisu Shuaibu (24), and were arraigned on June 19.
