Army arrests 3 alleged railtrack vandals in Nasarawa

Troops from 4 Special Forces of the Nigerian Army in Doma, Nasarawa State, have arrested three suspects for railtrack vandalism at the Kwarra community of Keana Local Government Area (LGA).

The Acting Deputy Director, Army Public Relations, 4 Special Forces Command, Doma, Maj. Joseph Afolasade, made the disclosure at a news briefing in Doma on Monday.

Afolasade said: “On Aug. 5, 2023, at about 11 p.m., troops of the command intercepted three suspected railtrack vandals during a routine patrol at the Kwarra community of Keana LGA.

“The suspects were arrested with a large quantity of railtrack loaded in one 18-tonne truck with Registration Number DED 364 YC.”

He said that the suspects claimed that they were deceived by their sponsors, who are still on the run.

Afolasade said that preliminary investigations revealed that on Aug. 23, the driver of the truck, Chibuki Akubilo, was contacted to convey the vandalised railtracks to Ilorin in Kwara for N1.6 million.

He further said that the Commander of the Special Forces, Maj.-Gen. Hillary Nzan, had approved that the suspects be handed over to the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) for further investigation and prosecution.

He, therefore, handed over the suspects to the representative of the state command of the NSCDC.

Responding, the NSCDC Public Relations Officer, Mr. Jerry Victor, expressed gratitude to the Army for collaborating with the corps to tackle insecurity in the state.

“Usually, this type of crime is committed by a syndicate,” Victor said.

He promised that the investigation would continue to arrest other members of the group for prosecution.

The driver of the truck told newsmen that he was contacted by Mr. Charles to convey the items to Ilorin.