Suspected vandals of Warri-Itakpe rail line arrested
A number of suspected vandals of the Warri-Itakpe rail line who allegedly destroyed the tracks and carted away the rail rods have been apprehended.
Recall that on September 2020, President Muhammadu Buhari inaugurated the Itakpe-Warri railway line, which links Warri in Delta state to Ajaokuta in Kogi state.
The minister of transportation, Rotimi Amaechi in April also flagged off freight and haulage services on the rail line to boost economic activities.
In a video which had gone viral, it was captured that some suspected vandals had used saw-like objects to cut the rail line in pieces, thereby endangering the lives of commuters.
Some bolts and knots were also removed showing the vandals’ readiness to cart away the iron rails.
The managing director/chief executive officer of Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC), Fidet Okhiria had stated that the incident occurred around KM 30, Adogo, a Kogi state section of the rail.
This development comes few days after the NRC announced arrest of two persons suspected of vandalising rail tracks along Kaduna-Zaria rail line.
Haruna Sabo, the NRC northern district engineer who made the announcement, said those arrested were members of a syndicate that specialises in removing rail clips that hold sleepers and rail tracks together.
