By Desire Emmanuel
Three young men who vandalised Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) rail equipment, Ibrahim Abdullahi (22 years old), Sani Ibrahim (24 years old) and Abdulwahab Yakubu 925 years old) have told police operatives that they stole railway electrical and signalling assets, sold them to one Musa for ₦90,000 and got N30,000 each for their efforts.
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The NRC, in a statement signed on Saturday by its Chief Public Relations Officer, Callistus Unyimadu, on the matter, described the trend as a major threat to safe and efficient train operations.
According to the NRC, “Three suspects were recently arrested in Kaduna for vandalising our equipment at the Rigasa Train Station area.
“The suspects were apprehended by operatives of the Nigeria Police, Railway Command attached to the Abuja–Kaduna Train Service (AKTS).
“The arrest followed the discovery on Friday, October 10 at about 12:30 p.m., that a cable wire had been cut and removed from one of NRC’s cranes stationed within the Rigasa facility.
“Acting swiftly on intelligence, the patrol team, led by ASP Abdullahi Bwajin, Administrative Officer at Rigasa, traced and arrested the suspects.
“During interrogation, they confessed to committing the crime and disclosed that they sold the stolen cable to one Musa, popularly known as “Musa Major,” for ₦90,000.
“Each of them reportedly received ₦30,000 as his share, Efforts are ongoing by the Nigeria Police, Railway Command (AKTS) to apprehend other members of the vandalising syndicate and recover the stolen materials.
“The NRC commends the Command for its professionalism and swift action, assuring that all culprits involved in acts of vandalism will face the full weight of the law.
“The Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Railway Corporation, Dr. Kayode Opeifa, expressed deep concern over the increasing attacks on railway electrical and signalling infrastructure, describing them as Critical National Assets,” the statement added.
