Railway Authorities condemn hoodlums incessant vandalisation on facilities

The Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Railway Corporation, Dr. Kayode Opeifa has decried the rate at which NRC facilities are being attacked by criminal elements.

Opeifa was speaking recently in response to two separate vandalism attacks on the Warri Itakpe line and another attack at Oghaho Section, Nkanu East LGA, Enugu State in the Eastern District.

At the Warri Itakpe line, if not for the quick response of the NRC management, the line would have suffered another suspension of operations.

Following a report from the community vigilante group of track vandalism at Agbarho Community, Ughelli North LGA of Delta State, the Railway track and safety officers were quickly dispatched early this morning to verify the report and do the needful for safe passage of the train.

In a statement by
Dr. Onyedikachi S. Onovo
DPRO(E)EG, he disclosed that upon that upon arriving at the site, the NRC team discovered that, from km 250 Agbarho – Okpara Section had been vandalized and the hold down bolts and clips made away with by the hoodlums.

The crew promptly replaced all that were vandalized and the track has been confirmed safe for the passage of trains.
Because of that unfortunate incident, WITS 01 service May 12, 2025 experienced a 40 minutes delay in departure.

In another sad development, this time around, in the Eastern District, following a reported case of vandalization by PTO (HO) of two spans on bridge No.24 at Km284 (Oghaho section) Nkanu East LGA, Enugu State, Eastern District, a team of Railway Policemen and engineering crew were despatched from Enugu to the site on Monday morning on an assessment and security watch.

On getting to the site, the men discovered that a whole length of (Bridge 24) heavy frames were cut into pieces by the criminals, using oxygen and escetelen. While the vandals had fled, the long spans bridge beams were met on ground and efforts are being made to recover them.

According to the reports from oficers in charge of the area, the location is largely inaccessible due to long history of insecurity and banditry which had made most communities along this rail corridor to relocate.

While commending the effort of the security agencies so far in stopping this economic sabotage, Dr. Kayode Opeifa encouraged them to redouble efforts as his administration is ever ready to support them in dealing with the challenging task of securing railway facilities across the country.

He specifically thanked the Agbarho Community Vigilante Group for having an eye on the NRC track. He called on other communities to emulate the Agbarho Community Vigilante and begin to own Railway facilities in their communities as they are national assets.

MIKE OCHONMA
Editor