In a significant operation, police authorities in Niger State have arrested fifteen individuals suspected of involvement in railway vandalism. The suspects were paraded on Friday, March 1, at the police headquarters in Minna, the state capital.
Commissioner of Police in the state, CP. Shawulu Danmamman, disclosed that the apprehended individuals were found in possession of a trailer loaded with railway tracks and slippers believed to have been stolen from Katarma village in Kaduna.
The suspects were intercepted by military personnel at Sarkin-Pawa and subsequently handed over to the Police Division at Sarkin-Pawa. CP. Danmamman reiterated the commitment of the Niger State Police Command to combat and minimize crime in the region.
Among the suspects, Adekunle Saheed, aged 44, from Oyo State, and Saifullahi Umar, aged 30, from Katsina State, provided conflicting statements regarding their involvement in the crime. While Saheed claimed ignorance of the trailer’s contents, Saifullahi asserted he was merely transporting it to its destination.
The railway sector in Nigeria has been grappling with significant challenges, including insecurity, inadequate funding, and vandalism, which have impeded efforts to revitalize the industry. Recent reports from the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) indicated the theft of over 150,000 rail clips by suspected vandals along railway tracks nationwide between 2022 and 2023, posing a severe setback to sectoral progress.
In addition to railway vandalism, law enforcement agencies have been active in apprehending individuals involved in various criminal activities. Recent incidents include the recovery of an AK-47 rifle in the Pissa District of Borgu Local Government Area and the arrest of ex-convicts attempting to steal a vehicle in Minna.