Hoodlums, suspected to be political thugs, have allegedly vandalised rails, sleepers, signal poles and count boards within the Mile One – Odo Ona railway corridor in Ibadan, Oyo State. 

The Public Relations Officer of the Nigeria Railway Corporation, Western District in Ibadan, Olawale Ayeni, said on Tuesday that the corporation’s assets were vandalised on Monday.

Mr Ayeni said, “We have notified our headquarters and I believe that required attention will be given to the matter.”

He said that the Railway Police had also been informed of the matter.

The thugs who vandalised the NRC assets were led by an official of one of the local governments in the Ibadan metropolis.

A witness at the scene reported that the official was said to have claimed authority to clear structures and facilities within the railway land for commercial development by the local government.

The source stated that the operation was carried out in spite of the attention of the LG official being called to the visible rail tracks and installations, which signified Nigeria Railway Corporation’s  Property.

Efforts by officers of the Nigerian Railway Police Command to halt the exercise were said to have been resisted by the group at the site.

Contacted, the Information Officer at the Ibadan South West Local Government, Kehinde Adediran said the chairman was unavailable for comments.

“He is busy with activities of the Oyo State at 50. I am not aware of the incident and cannot comment on behalf of the chairman on the incident,” Mrs Adediran said. 

(NAN)