In a significant breakthrough against the rampant theft of rail tracks, the troops of the 4 Special Forces based in Doma, Nasarawa State, have successfully apprehended 12 suspected vandals.
The arrests took place at Angwan Yara in the Keana Local Government Area of Nasarawa State, signaling a major blow to the criminal syndicates involved in rail track theft, News About Nigeria reports.
The Acting Deputy Director of Army Public Relations for the Command, Maj. Joseph Afolasade made this announcement during a press briefing held on Friday in Doma.
Maj. Afolasade revealed that the operation unfolded on June 15, 2023, when the troops, engaged in routine patrol, intercepted five suspected rail track vandals at an abandoned railway station situated between the communities of Angwan Yara and Agyaragu in Keana LGA.
The arrested suspects were found in possession of a substantial quantity of rail tracks, which were loaded onto two trucks. As the investigation progressed, seven additional suspects were apprehended on June 18, all of whom provided confessional statements.
Startlingly, they admitted to their involvement in the theft of rail tracks and divulged the names of several prominent individuals in Nasarawa and Plateau States who were alleged to be part of the syndicate.
The commitment and integrity of the Special Forces came to the fore as they rejected a bribe of N5 million offered by the detained suspects. Maj. Afolasade emphasized that the troops steadfastly refused the bribe, choosing instead to apprehend the culprits.
The suspects claimed that they had been deceived by their sponsors, who managed to escape capture.
The Commander of the Special Forces, Maj.-Gen. Owyinka Soyele, sanctioned the handover of the suspects to the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) for further investigation and subsequent prosecution.
In a commendable display of collaboration, a representative of the Nasarawa State Commandant of the NSCDC, Deputy Commandant Afere Joseph, expressed gratitude to the Army for their unwavering support in combating insecurity within the state.
He assured the public that thorough investigation would be conducted, followed by the prosecution of the suspects, with the aim of deterring potential offenders.
During an interaction with the media, one of the arrested suspects, Hasiru Modibbo, disclosed that he had been contacted by one of his business partners. Subsequently, a sum of N300,000 was sent to the drivers of the two trucks involved in the rail track theft.
This successful operation by the Special Forces marks a significant step towards curbing the pervasive menace of rail track vandalism. The arrests serve as a clear message that the security forces are determined to protect critical infrastructure and bring those involved in such criminal activities to justice.
As investigations continue and prosecutions follow, it is hoped that the apprehension of these suspects will act as a deterrent and help restore the integrity of Nigeria’s railway network.
