• Raises alarm over fresh vandalism on 33Kv power line in Rigasa
The Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) has commended the judgment delivered by Justice A. I. Kala of the Federal High Court, Lagos, which sentenced two rail track vandals, Mudansuru Mutari, 27, and Blorie Kokori, 39, to two years imprisonment each for tampering with critical components of the Warri–Itakpe rail track.
The convicts, apprehended around Kilometre 208 before Abraka, Delta State, and paraded by the Railway Police Command, Lagos, were prosecuted on charges bordering on vandalism and economic sabotage.
In delivering judgment, Justice Kala described their action as a serious threat to national safety, noting that the sentence would serve as a deterrent to others that are contemplating similar crimes.
In a statement signed by the Chief Public Relations Officer, Callistus Unyimadu, the convicts 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.
Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, NRC, Dr Kayode Opeifa, commended the judiciary, the railway police command, and all collaborating security agencies for their diligent investigation and successful prosecution of the case.
According to him, “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.” In another development, the Corporation has expressed deep 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.
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.
Opeifa, while describing the development as regrettable and troubling, urged security operatives in Kaduna State to intensify surveillance and ensure that those behind the act are apprehended and prosecuted.
He lamented the increasing rate of attacks on railway infrastructure nationwide, noting that such criminal activities impede smooth operations and undermine the Corporation’s mandate to provide safe, reliable, and efficient transportation services to Nigerians.
Opeifa reaffirmed the determination of the Corporation to continue providing dependable rail services despite the challenges, while urging vandals and their collaborators to desist from their destructive activities.
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.
