- Safiu Kehinde
The Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) has decried the rate of vandalism and theft of its infrastructure across the country.
NRC’s Managing Director, Freeborn Okhirie, expressed his concern over the vandalization and theft of railway sleeppers during a visit to the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), headquarters in Abuja.
While commending the effort of the NSCDC for in protecting Critical National Assets and Infrastructure (CNAI), Okhirie however, said that despite the NSCDC efforts to salvage the NRC from economic saboteurs, the corporation still suffers losses through vandalism of its installations across the country.
“Rail tracks are still being vandalised while the number of perpetrators are rising in spite of many arrests,” he fumed.
The NRC boss called for corporation in fight against the disturbing trend which he described as “an organised conspiracy to commit economic sabotage”.
He called for a stronger synergy amongst critical stakeholders and security agencies to bring perpetrators and sponsors of such vandalism to book.
Okhirie, however , urged Nigerians to provide information that would lead to the arrest of suspects so that infrastructure meant to meet the public’s needs would be secured.
In response, NSCDC Commandant-General, Ahmed Audi, disclosed that more than 20 trailers conveying vandalised railway sleepers had been impounded by the Corps.
“Numerous suspects have been arrested in connection with the crime of vandalism of Railway slippers,” he disclosed.
The NSCDC boss vowed to work harder to curtail the acts while decrying the slow pace encountered in the course of prosecution of suspects.
He said that the NSCDC would strengthen its disciplinary mechanism and sanction any personnel found sabotaging the concerted effort.
Audi solicited NRC’s assistance in catering for the welfare of personnel deployed to protect railway infrastructure.