Kazeem Owoseni
No fewer than 12 suspected rail track vandals have been arrested and handed over to the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, Nasarawa State Command, by Troops of 4 Special Forces Command in Doma, who arrested them at Angwan Yara and Agyaragu communities in Keana Local Government Area of the state.
Disclosing this in Nasarawa, the acting Deputy Director of Army Public Relations, 4 Special Forces Command, Doma, Major Joseph Adekunle Afolasade, who handed them over to the NSCDC, said the troops intercepted and arrested the five rail track vandals during a routine patrol on June 15.
According to him, they were arrested in connection with the vandalism of a large number of tracks, loaded in two 12-tyre trucks.
However, Afolasade stated that during the investigation, prominent citizens within Lafia and Jos were mentioned as members of the syndicate, noting that the outcome of the investigation led the troops to conduct further raids at the residence of one of the kingpins, which led to the arrest of seven other suspects.
“The suspects were all profiled and administered cautionary statements, after which written statements were obtained from them to ascertain their level of involvement.
“Subsequently, they were individually interrogated and cross-examined,” he said.
However, he stated that the suspects confessed to the crime and claimed that they were deceived by the kingpins, who informed them that they had the approval from the federal government, Nigeria Railway Corporation and some security agencies, to vandalize and convey the tracks to Jos.
Meanwhile, the acting Deputy Director, of Army Public Relations 4 Special Forces Command, Doma, Major Adekunle revealed that the suspects made several attempts to bribe the soldiers with the sum of N5m, to avoid arrest, noting that the troops of the command declined and carried out their duties diligently based on their training as special forces soldiers.
“May I also add that a lot of vandalized tracks are still left at the spot of their arrest waiting to be evacuated by these criminals,” he said.
He however urged the relevant authorities to make adequate arrangements in securing the rail tracks, noting that two other suspects of rail vandals, were arrested on June 5, 2023.
According to him, the suspects and exhibits caught with them were subsequently transferred to the Nigeria Police Criminal Investigations Department, Lafia for further action.
Receiving the suspects, the Deputy Commandant of the NSCDC in the state, Efere Joseph appreciated the Army for the collaboration to tackle the insecurity in the state.
He however assured that all the suspects would be charged to court for prosecution after investigation to serve as a deterrent to others.
