The Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) has expressed concern over a fresh act of vandalism on the 33KV electricity supply line feeding the Rigasa Railway Station and the adjoining railway village in Kaduna State.

The Managing Director of NRC, Dr Kayode Opeifa, expressed the concern in a statement on Sunday in Lagos.

According to Mr Opeifa, the vandals struck again barely 60 days after the line was restored, carting away critical components and plunging the entire area back into darkness after two years of a previous blackout.

“NRC personnel discovered the damage in the early hours of Friday, confirming that the newly-repaired line had, once more, been tampered with by criminal elements,” he said.

Describing the development as regrettable, Mr Opeifa urged security operatives in Kaduna State to intensify surveillance and ensure apprehension and prosecution of those behind the act.

He decried increasing rate of vandalism of railway infrastructure nationwide.

Mr Opeifa said that such criminal activities hindered smooth operations and undermined the corporation’s mandate to provide safe, reliable and efficient transport services to Nigerians.

He reaffirmed the determination of the corporation to continue providing dependable rail services in spite of  challenges, advising vandals and their collaborators to desist from  destructive activities.

He said, “The corporation assures passengers, host communities and stakeholders of its unwavering commitment to safeguarding national railway assets and enhancing service delivery across all corridors under the Renewed Hope Rail Agenda.”

Mr Opeifa also lauded the judgment of the Federal High Court, Ikoyi, Lagos State Division,  which sentenced two  rail track vandals, Mudansuru Mutari (27) and Blorie Kokori (39), to two years imprisonment each.

Justice A. I. Kala sentenced them for tampering with critical components of the Warri–Itakpe Rail Track.

“The convicts, who were earlier apprehended around Kilometer 208 before Abraka, Delta State, and subsequently paraded by the Railway Police Command, Lagos, were prosecuted on charges bordering on vandalism and economic sabotage.

“They were found guilty under Section 36(6)(b) and Section 1(10) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act, Cap 17, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2024,” Mr Opeifa said.

He commended the judiciary, the Railway Police Command and all collaborating security agencies for  diligent investigation and successful prosecution of the case.

“This judgment reinforces the Federal Government’s zero-tolerance stance on railway vandalism. The NRC will continue to work closely with security agencies to ensure that anyone who attacks railway infrastructure faces the full weight of the law. Railway property are national assets and not scraps,” he said. 

(NAN)