Railway Vandalism: Police Arrest 30 Suspects, Trucks, Others

The Railway Police Command yesterday said it arrested 30 suspected rail track vandals between the month of September and October, 2022.

A statement by the command explained that operatives, on September 8, 2022, swooped on some criminal elements who had been involved in vandalising and theft of railway iron sleepers in Sheme Town, in the Faskari Local Governement Area of Kastina State.

“The operation led to the arrest of 14 suspects on September 10. The suspects initially exchanged fire with policemen, but abandoned their truck with number plate Nasarawa LFA 307 XB and a Sharon car.”

The command named the suspects are as Muhammed Lawan (35), Umar Garba (28), Sahana Iliyasu (22), Bashiru Abdulrahaman (20), Dauda Musa (27), Ahmad Sani (21), Muhammed Haruna (20), Aten Ahmed, Gaddafi Bala (21), Ali Umar (25), Wudeama Tahiru (23), John Jaccob (22), Ezekiel Gumeret (26) and Sulaimon Musa (20). “Similarly, on 26th of September, 2022, the Rigasa Railway Police Division arrested five suspects in connection with vandalism of window frames at Gidan Buse substation station.

The suspects – Sadi Mohammed (26), Nasiru Yakubu (35), Yau Ibrahim (26), while Buhari Samlia (25), Aliyu Abdulahi (24) were also arrested for the same crime on 17th of October, 2022.

“Men of the Funtua Railway Police Division, Katsina State also raided the hideout of notorious railway vandals, arrested four suspected vandals in possession of 100 railway iron sleepers and 60 cut to size triangular iron pieces belonging to the Nigerian Railway Cooperation,” the statement added.

The command also stated that on November 4, the Kafanchan Railway Police Division and men of the Nigerian Army School of Artillery intercepted two trucks with number plate MJB 367 XA and DAL 754 ZX. “The trucks were loaded with 45 and 37 long rail irons respectively.

Three suspects each: Adamu Lawal (32), Tajudeen Yusuf (27), Sulieman Lawal (19); and Abdulkadir Idris (45), Garba Sule (37), and Bilyaminu I Ahmadu (37), have been arrested in connection to the crime,” the statement said.

The police also stated that the Bauchi Division intercepted a J5 bus marked XC 318 BAU. “The suspects upon sighting the policemen fled, abandoning the bus loaded with 50 pieces of railway sleepers concealed under firewood. The bus and exhibits have been taken into police custody, while investigations to apprehend the suspects continues,” the statement added.

The Commissioner of Police for the Railway Police Command, Yetunde Longe, said, “Investigations will be swiftly concluded and the culprits would be duly charged to court to face the wrath of the law to its full extent.