The Nigerian Police Force’s Railway Police Command announced on Monday that between the months of September and October 2022, 30 alleged railway vandals were detained.
In Sheme Town, in the Faskari Local Governement Area of Kastina State, certain criminal elements were involved in vandalizing and stealing railroad iron sleepers on September 8, 2022, according to a statement from the command.
“On September 10, the operation resulted in the arrest of 14 people. After exchanging fire with police officers at first, the suspects fled in a Sharon automobile and a truck with the license plate LFA 307 XB from Nasarawa.
The suspects were identified by the command as Muhammad Lawan (age 35), Umar Garba (age 28), Sahana Iliyasu (age 22), Bashiru Abdulrahaman (20), Dauda Musa (age 27), Ahmad Sani (age 21), Muhammed Haruna (age 20), Aten Ahmed, Gaddafi Bala (age 21), Ali Umar (age 25), Wudeama Tahiru (age 23), John Jaccob (age (20).
“In a similar vein, the Rigasa Railway Police Division detained five individuals on September 26, 2022, in connection with the breaking of windows at the Gidan Buse substation station. On October 17, 2022, the suspects Sadi Mohammed (age 26), Nasiru Yakubu (age 35), Yau Ibrahim (age 26), Buhari Samlia (age 25), and Aliyu Abdulahi (age 24) were also taken into custody for the same crime.
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The statement continued, “Men of the Funtua Railway Police Division, Katsina State, also raided the hideout of notorious railway vandals, arrested four suspected vandals in possession of one hundred railroad iron sleepers and sixty cut-to-size triangular iron pieces belonging to the Nigerian Railway Cooperation.
The command further reported that two Dangote lorries with the license plates MJB 367 XA and DAL 754 ZX were stopped on November 4 by the Kafanchan Railway Police Division and Men of the Nigerian Army School of Artillery.
“The trucks were each hauling 45 and 37 long rail irons. According to the statement, three suspects—Adamu Lawal, 32; Tajudeen Yusuf, 27; Sulieman Lwal, 19; and Abdulkadir Idris, 45; Garba Sule, 37; and Bilyaminu I Ahmadu, 37—have each been detained in connection with the crime.
The police added that a J5 bus with the license plate XC 318 BAU was stopped by the Bauchi divisional.
“When the suspects saw the police officers, they ran away and abandoned the bus, which was carrying fifty railway sleepers that were hidden under timber. While the search for the culprits continues, the police have taken possession of the bus and the exhibits, according to the statement.
“The trucks were each hauling 45 and 37 long rail irons. According to the statement, three suspects—Adamu Lawal, 32; Tajudeen Yusuf, 27; Sulieman Lwal, 19; and Abdulkadir Idris, 45; Garba Sule, 37; and Bilyaminu I Ahmadu, 37—have each been detained in connection with the crime.
The police added that a J5 bus with the license plate XC 318 BAU was stopped by the Bauchi divisional.
“When the suspects saw the police officers, they ran away and abandoned the bus, which was carrying fifty railway sleepers that were hidden under timber. While the search for the culprits continues, the police have taken possession of the bus and the exhibits, according to the statement.
