About 47 suspected rail track vandals have been arrested by troops of the 1 Division of the Nigerian Army in Kaduna State. The vandals were arrested along the Kakau Daji-Anguwan Ayaba area in Chikun Local Government Area of Kaduan State.
This was revealed by the Acting Deputy Director, Army Public Relations of the Division, Lieutenant Musa Yahaya. According to him, the troops intercepted and arrested the suspects during a routine patrol on June 26, 2024.
Yahaya said the suspects, who had loaded two trucks of the rail tracks before their arrests, revealed that they were employed by one Alhaji Babawo.
He stated that vandals had stated that they instructed to load the vandalized rail tracks and off-load same in a nearby bush along the road.
Parading the suspects during profiling at 312 Artillery Regiment Kaduna, the Acting Commander 1 Division Provost Group Lieutenant Colonel I.Y. Rena, stated that the suspects who are 47 in number were profiled. That was to ascertain their level of involvement during preliminary investigation.
Rena further stated that the suspects were also individually interviewed and cross-examined. This is even when efforts are in place to arrest the gang leader, Babawo, who is currently at large.
Rena further revealed that on visit to the crime scene, some of the vandalized rail tracks were found concealed in the nearby bush. Where they were kept, awaiting to be evacuated by the criminal syndicates .
The vandals were, however, handed over to the authorities of Nigeria Railway Corporation, Kaduna Station.
Handing over the suspects to the NRC, Rena urged the relevant security agencies to make adequate arrangements and deliberate efforts to secure the rail tracks from further vandalization.
Speaking during the handing over of the suspects, the representative of the Nigeria Railway Corporation and Divisional Crime Officer, ASP Inuwa Dahiru, commended the troops of the Nigerian Army. He thanked them for their proactiveness and collaboration with other security agencies in tackling the myriad of security challenges confronting the State.
He, however, assured the Nigerian Army that all the 47 suspects would be thoroughly investigated. After, which they would be charged to court to serve as a deterrence to other criminally minded persons.
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