NRC Cries Out as Vandals Strip Railway Tracks in Plateau, Bauchi

NRC Cries Out as Vandals Strip Railway Tracks in Plateau, Bauchi

 

The Nigerian Railway Corporation has raised fresh concern over  reported coordinated attacks on railway infrastructure in parts of the country, warning that the growing wave of vandalism may trigger fatal train accidents and undermine billions of naira invested in the rail sector.

The corporation said recent incidents recorded in Plateau and Bauchi states have exposed a dangerous trend of deliberate destruction and illegal removal of railway materials critical to safe train operations and national economic activities.

According to a statement issued by the Chief Public Relations Officer of the NRC, Callistus Unyimadu, one of the latest incidents occurred on May 21, 2026, when a truck loaded with suspected vandalised railway materials got stuck between Kuru and Science School in Plateau State, exposing the activities of criminal elements involved in the theft and illegal transportation of railway assets.

The NRC also disclosed that along the Zango axis in Bauchi State, between Kilometer 878 and 889, railway slippers were completely removed on both sides of a level crossing, leaving only a few disconnected rail components behind.

The corporation warned that the destruction of railway tracks, slippers, clips, fastenings and signalling materials poses grave danger to rail transportation, noting that such acts could lead to catastrophic train accidents, disruption of services, loss of lives and severe economic setbacks.

Describing the development as an attack on critical national infrastructure and public safety, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the NRC, Kayode Opeifa, condemned the persistent vandalism, saying it amounted to sabotage against national progress.

He noted that the increasing incidents across the North Central and North East railway corridors indicate an alarming pattern requiring urgent intervention from security agencies, state governments, traditional rulers, community leaders and residents living along rail lines.

Opeifa appealed to Nigerians to regard railway infrastructure as a strategic national asset built with taxpayers’ money to support transportation, trade and economic growth, stressing that such facilities should not be reduced to scraps for illegal business activities.

He warned vandals, scrap dealers and other individuals involved in the unlawful purchase, destruction or movement of railway materials to desist immediately or face prosecution.

The corporation further called on security agencies to strengthen surveillance and enforcement operations around railway corridors nationwide, while urging members of the public to remain vigilant and promptly report suspicious activities around railway facilities.

The NRC urged Nigerians to join hands in protecting railway infrastructure, insisting that the nation’s rail system remains too important to be left vulnerable to criminal attacks.