The Railway Police Command of the Nigerian police force has arrested another 13 suspected railway vandals in the month of May and June 2022.
A source said that on May 12, men of the Railway Police Command upon credible tip off by a group of Civilian Joint Task Force arrested five suspected vandals in Abakwa axis of Kaduna state.
According to the police source,” they were intercepted while removing and vandalizing rail irons of the Abakwa old rail line with a gas cylinder. The suspects are Abubarkar: Ayuba ,22, Musa Ibrahim ,17, Umar Bello,18, Samaila Rabiu,18, Yahaya Abubakar,18.
“Another three suspects, were similarly arrested for vandalism of standard gauge rail Pandrol clips property of the Nigeria Railway Corporation (NRC)/Chinese Civil Engineering Construction Company (CCECC). The suspects, Benedict Matthew,20, Ismalia Ibrahim,18, and Abdullahi Iliyasu,20, were arrested on 17th of June 2022. Exhibits recovered from them include: 10 sacks of vandalized standard gauge rail pandrol clip Irons, measuring scale, and hammer.
“The Minna Division of the Railway Police Command also arrested three persons with 220 Pandrol clips. The suspects Abdulrazak abubakar, Khamisu Abba, Abdulganiyu Abubakar, were arrested at kilometer 735, along Korota Village, Maikunkele Beji section.
“The Kafanchan Railway Police Division upon credible information also intercepted a truck loaded with vandalized railway iron rails tucked away in a bush at Unguwar Yawa Village, Zango Kataf Local Government Kaduna State. The truck with registration number BCH-933 XA,was loaded with 96 Pieces of standard gauge Rail irons. One suspect has been arrested in connection to the incident while investigations have been heightened to apprehend other accomplices at large.
“In Abeokuta, at Alagada village axis, two men Idowu Abiodun and David Titus both 24 years old were apprehended by men of the Abeokuta division while vandalizing rail tracks upon an information by a member of the village. Railway pandrol clips were recovered from the suspects as exhibits. The suspects have however been charged to court”.
The Commissioner of Police, Railway Police Command, CP Yetunde Longe,who confirmed the arrests of the said suspects in various parts of the country, said the importance of Citizen-Police Partnership and Community Policing in the securing of lives and properties.
CP Yetunde Longe added that no stone would be left unturned in the war against Railway vandalism as perpetrators arrested would be made to face the wrath of the law to its full extent.
