Operatives of the Special Intelligence Squad of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps have intercepted suspected railway vandals and recovered stolen railway sleepers along the Bauchi–Kano Road.
The operation, which led to the arrest of two suspects, was carried out following renewed efforts by the agency to tackle the destruction and illegal transportation of railway infrastructure across the country.
In a statement issued on Monday, the National Public Relations Officer of the NSCDC, Afolabi Babawale, disclosed that the operation was executed by the Commandant General’s Special Intelligence Squad acting on the directive of the NSCDC Commandant General, Ahmed Abubakar Audi.
According to the statement, the commandant general had recently ordered the squad to relocate to Bauchi State as part of efforts to dismantle criminal syndicates allegedly involved in vandalising facilities belonging to the Nigerian Railway Corporation.
Babawale explained that the suspects had allegedly been operating under the guise of being legitimate contractors approved by the Federal Government.
He said the operatives intercepted a Peugeot Boxer vehicle bearing registration number KMC-366-TE during the operation.
Upon inspection, the vehicle was reportedly found loaded with suspected vandalised railway sleepers allegedly being transported to an undisclosed destination in Kano State.
The NSCDC spokesman identified the suspects as 65-year-old Alzuma Yakubu, said to be the driver of the vehicle, and Ismail Muhammad, 32, who allegedly claimed ownership of the recovered materials.
He added that the suspects, the vehicle and the recovered railway infrastructure had been taken into custody as investigations continued.
The corps reiterated its commitment to protecting critical national assets and warned criminal elements against sabotaging public infrastructure across the country.