The Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) has announced the arrest of a notorious vandal, identified as Mr Lucky, who was caught cutting a rail bridge along the Kaduna-Kafanchan axis.
The Managing Director of NRC, Dr Kayode Opeifa, disclosed this in a statement on Tuesday, confirming that Lucky had been under surveillance following intelligence reports linking him to several cases of rail track vandalism in the area. He was apprehended in the act by the police.
According to Opeifa, the police are currently tracking down Lucky’s accomplices, who are still at large.
In a statement signed by Yakub Mahmood, Deputy Director of Public Relations at NRC, Opeifa described the growing incidents of rail track vandalism across the country as alarming. He reiterated his warning to companies involved in smelting stolen rail materials, urging them to desist or face prosecution.
“Railway materials are not scrap. Only the NRC management has the authority to dispose of them, in line with the Corporation’s Act,” Opeifa stated. He urged the public to report any suspicious movement of railway materials to the authorities.
Opeifa further revealed that officers of the Railway Command recently raided a house in Kafanchan, where stolen rail irons and sleepers were discovered. He cited other recent incidents, including the arrest of a police officer found with rail materials in Minna, Niger State, and the interception of individuals cutting rail tracks in Bauchi and Port Harcourt.
“A trailer loaded with track materials was also intercepted at Obeagu in Ebonyi State. The vehicles used in the Bauchi and Port Harcourt incidents have been seized and are in police custody as evidence,” Opeifa added.
He confirmed that the Commissioner of Police for the Railway Command and the Commandant of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) have been directed to expedite the prosecution of suspects involved in railway vandalism.
“All those involved in sabotaging our rail infrastructure will face the full weight of the law,” Opeifa warned.
He also issued a stern warning to smelting companies colluding with vandals, emphasising that their actions undermine the nation’s economy and could lead to train derailments, endangering passengers’ lives.
The NRC boss highlighted the corporation’s ongoing efforts to revive abandoned rail routes and boost cargo movement on narrow gauge lines. He assured that work on the Kano-Nguru line in Yobe and Jigawa States, the Idogo line in Ogun State, and the Zaria-Kaura Namoda line in Katsina and Zamfara States is progressing steadily.
“In a few months, we expect to achieve seamless cargo movement on the narrow gauge beyond Ibadan to Ilorin, Minna, and Kano,” Opeifa stated.
He disclosed that the NRC has already resumed the movement of bulk goods such as cement, gypsum, and soda ash from the ports in partnership with terminal operators, logistics firms, and manufacturers.
“We are reclaiming our position as the backbone of bulk cargo transport over long distances, which had been dominated by road transport,” Opeifa affirmed.
The NRC’s renewed focus on narrow gauge cargo movement, Opeifa said, aims to deter vandalism and ensure the safety and efficiency of the railway network nationwide.
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