Troops arrest ’47 rail track vandals’ in Kaduna

Troops of the 1 Division of the Nigerian Army have arrested 47 suspected rail track vandals along the Kakau Daji-Anguwan Ayaba axis of Kaduna state.

According to IY Rena, the acting commander of the military division, the suspects were arrested on Wednesday during a routine patrol of the area.

Rena said the suspects “had loaded two trucks with the vandalised rail tracks before their arrests”, and they revealed their employer to be one Alhaji Babawo, who is currently at large.

He added that troops discovered some of the stolen iron rods “concealed in the nearby bush waiting to be evacuated by the criminal syndicates”.

The army division commander said the suspects have been handed over to the Nigeria Railway Corporation (NRC) Kaduna station authorities.

“While handing over the suspects to the Authorities of Nigeria Railway Corporation Kaduna Station represented by the Divisional Crime Officer, Lt Col Rena urged the relevant security agencies to make adequate arrangements and deliberate efforts to secure the rail tracks from further vandalisation,” the statement reads.

Inuwa Dahiru, representative of the NRC’s crime division, commended the troops for their proactiveness and collaboration with other security agencies in tackling the mirage of security challenges confronting the state.

He assured that all 47 suspects would be thoroughly investigated before being charged to court, serving as a deterrent to other criminally minded persons.