Thirteen suspects have been apprehended by the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) for possessing substantial amounts of long rails and sleepers valued at N800 million.
Gatekeepers News reports that NSCDC spokesperson, Babawale Afolabi stated this in a Tuesday press release. He noted that the Commandant General’s Special Intelligence Squad (CG’s SIS) executed the arrests.
These suspects were captured in the Manchock area of Kaura LGA, the Zonkwa area in Zango Kataf LGA, and the Kaffanchan area in Jama’a LGA within Kaduna State.
The suspects were paraded alongside five trucks conveying the large quantities of vandalised rails and sleepers at the NSCDC Headquarters, Abuja on Tuesday.
“The 13 suspects and 5 trucks impounded have been taken into custody for profiling and further investigation and prosecution.
“The 13 suspects are still being interrogated and cross-examined after which other accomplices will be arrested and charged to court,” the statement quoted Afolabi as saying.
“When they were apprehended, the Commander of the squad was offered the sum of N30 million which was rejected,” he added.
Quoting NSCDC Commandant General (CG) Ahmed Audi, he expressed concern over the actions of vandals nationwide.
He also criticized the unidentified iron and steel companies that continue to process and melt the stolen rail materials and sleepers.
But he said: “Efforts are in top gear to smash and unmask these syndicates and make them face the wrath of the law no matter how highly or lowly placed”.
According to the statement, one of the suspects, a truck driver, said he was offered N1.2m to deliver the stolen items to Ilorin, Kwara State.
However, the suspect mentioned that he received an initial advance payment of N200,000. Out of this amount, he handed over N100,000 to the agent who contacted him for the job.
Federal Railway Corporation, North Central District Manager, Austin Ashibekong bitterly complained about the situation saying,
“I want to confirm to you that these are vandalised long railways that had been cut into pieces and everywhere in the North-Central district is experiencing a surge in vandalisation of track materials,”
“They vandalize the long rails, the sleepers, android clips, and other railway components which has been a major hurt in our management.”
“Even the nuts can not be sourced locally and all these costs the Federal Government a great deal and somebody will come overnight to vandalise them for selfish and personal interest,” Ashibekong was further quoted as saying.
