Victor Okiche
Efforts by the Nigerian Railway Corporation, NRC, to secure its infrastructure is yielding positive result as operatives of the Man O’ War Railway Command apprehended a member of NRC staff, stealing railway signal cables.
The Male suspect, 38 years old Gift Eseeli, was caught with several lengths of 50 millimitre armoured signal cables along the Warri-Itakpe Train Service corridor.
According to the NRC, the armoured signal cable had been removed from the trackside installations before officers of the Man O’ War intercepted the suspect.
In a statement by the NRC Acting Spokesman, Callistus Unyimadu, the stolen items were recovered intact and handed over to the Nigerian Police Force for further investigation.
“Preliminary findings indicate that several lengths of 50mm armoured signal cable had been removed from the trackside installations before vigilant officers led by Mr Williams Agiake, intercepted the suspect. The stolen items were recovered intact and handed over to the Nigerian Police Force which has commenced a full investigation.”
The Managing Director of the NRC, Dr Kayode Opeifa, has reiterated that NRC properties are national assets, insisting that any act of sabotage is at the detriment of the country and the Nigerian people.
He pointed out that act of vandalism of railway infrastructure endanger passengers’ safety and sabotaged the Renewed Hope infrastructure drive of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration.”
He maintained that the NRC would prosecute any individual or group, including workers, found culpable of vandalism without exceptions.