NSCDC arrests 13 suspects, impounds rail tracks worth N800m

By Abiodun OBA

The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps Commandant General’s Special Intelligence Squad has arrested 13 suspected railway vandals with large quantities of long rails and sleepers worth 800 million naira.

According to the statement signed by the Corps spokesman, Babawale Afolabi, the arrests took place around the Manchock area of Kaura LGA, the Zonkwa area in Zango Kataf LGA, and the Kaffanchan area in Jama’a LGA of Kaduna State.

The suspects were paraded alongside five trucks conveying the large quantities of vandalised rails and sleepers at the NSCDC Headquarters, Abuja on Tuesday.

The statement read in part “The 13 suspects and five trucks impounded have been taken into custody for profiling and further investigation and prosecution.

“The 13 suspects are still being interrogated and cross-examined after which other accomplices will be arrested and charged to court.”

Afolabi added that upon arrest, the CGs SIS operatives were offered 30 million naira as bribe which they declined.

“When they were apprehended, the Commander of the squad was offered the sum of 30 million naira which was rejected.”

The NSCDC Commandant General, Dr. Ahmed Audi, frowned at the yet-to-be-identified iron and steel companies who always buy, process, and melt the vandalized rail track iron and sleepers.

Audi noted “Efforts are in top gear to smash and unmask these syndicates and make them face the wrath of the law no matter how highly or lowly placed.”