NRC Arrests 2 Rail Track Vandals In Zaria

Haruna Sabo, the NRC Northern District Engineer, made the
disclosure in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN),
on Saturday in Zaria

He said that the corporation had deployed patrol teams along the
rail line following repeated vandalism of the rail tracks.

Sabo said those arrested were members of a syndicate that
specialized in removing rail clips that hold sleepers and rail
tracks together.

The district engineer said that the suspects were arrested by
staff of the NRC district office at Sayi-Dumbi rail section along
the Zaria-Kaduna axis on Friday.

The suspects are Sabitu Kabiru of Matara Sarki in Zaria and a
trader, Sabi’u Shehu.

One other suspect, whose name was given as Umar Faruk, was said
to have escaped.

Kabiru, however, said it was their first time of attempting to
vandalise the rail tracks and were caught.

On his part, Shehu said he used to buy an iron rod from Kabiru,
but had never bought any stolen railway property from him.

The district engineer said that personnel of the railway
inspection and maintenance unit would continue to monitor the rail
lines on a daily basis until all the vandals were arrested.

“This personnel saw the vandals removing bolt and knot, and
rails clips on the track; the clips hold the sleepers and rail
together.

“The removal of the bolt and knot, rails clips on the track was
one of the reasons for the recent derailment of trains in Kaduna”,
he said.

Sabo urged Nigerians to safeguard railway properties and report
vandals to security agencies.

NAN reports that the suspects were handed over to the Railway
Police in Zaria, for further investigation.

Haruna Sabo, the NRC Northern District Engineer, made the
disclosure in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN),
on Saturday in Zaria

He said that the corporation had deployed patrol teams along the
rail line following repeated vandalism of the rail tracks.

Sabo said those arrested were members of a syndicate that
specialized in removing rail clips that hold sleepers and rail
tracks together.

The district engineer said that the suspects were arrested by
staff of the NRC district office at Sayi-Dumbi rail section along
the Zaria-Kaduna axis on Friday.

The suspects are Sabitu Kabiru of Matara Sarki in Zaria and a
trader, Sabi’u Shehu.

One other suspect, whose name was given as Umar Faruk, was said
to have escaped.

Kabiru, however, said it was their first time of attempting to
vandalise the rail tracks and were caught.

On his part, Shehu said he used to buy an iron rod from Kabiru,
but had never bought any stolen railway property from him.

The district engineer said that personnel of the railway
inspection and maintenance unit would continue to monitor the rail
lines on a daily basis until all the vandals were arrested.

“This personnel saw the vandals removing bolt and knot, and
rails clips on the track; the clips hold the sleepers and rail
together.

“The removal of the bolt and knot, rails clips on the track was
one of the reasons for the recent derailment of trains in Kaduna”,
he said.

Sabo urged Nigerians to safeguard railway properties and report
vandals to security agencies.

NAN reports that the suspects were handed over to the Railway
Police in Zaria, for further investigation.