The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps NSCDC said it has arrested four suspects and intercepted a truck which they used in conveying large quantities of vandalized rail tracks concealed inside iron scraps.
According to the Corps, the truck and the four suspects were intercepted along Lafia-Akwanga-Abuja expressway, Sabon Pagi, Lafia Nasarawa State on Monday.
Director, Public Relations at the Corps’ National Headquarters, Babawale Afolabi what disclosed this in a statement on Thursday in Abuja said the arrest was made by the Commandant General’s Special Intelligence Squad( CG’s SIS) of the NSCDC.
Noting that the four suspects have been taken into custody for further investigations and necessary action, he said; “On 14th of August, 2023, about 1030hrs, the CG’s Special Intelligence Squad, who are on specialized operation to checkmate nefarious activities of rail line vandals, arrested four suspected vandals who disguised as scavengers. It was later discovered that the suspects have vandalized rail track irons and concealed them inside scrap iron materials before loading the vandalized rail track irons into a truck that will convey them to the buyers.
“The vehicle is an articulated DAF truck with registration number BSA 899XA and the four suspected vandals are 27 year old Anasi Ali, the driver of the truck. Others are Yusuf Idris, 25; Hafis Idris, 18; and Nasiru Abdullahi, 28 who served as an escort.
“Items recovered from the vandals arr large quantities of offloaded scrap irons and large quantities of vandalized railways irons as well as the truck.
“The preliminary investigation carried out by the NSCDC revealed that the vandals loaded the rail tracks and slippers in Makurdi, Benue State and concealed them inside iron scraps and were moving them to an undisclosed iron and steel company in Ilorin, Kwara State before they were intercepted and arrested.
“In the meantime, the Commandant General Dr. Ahmed Abubakar Audi has ordered full scale investigation after which the suspects will be charged to court”, he stated.
