The Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) has voiced concerns over the rising rate of vandalism and degradation of railway Infrastructure around the nation. This was mentioned by Mr. Freeborn Okhiria, Managing Director of the Corporation, over the weekend, when he paid a visit to the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) headquarters in Abuja. The NRC Managing director praised the NSCDC’s steadfast efforts to safeguard Critical National Assets and Infrastructure (CNAI) over the years, which he said have resulted in the arrest of railway sleeper thieves.
Nevertheless, he claimed that despite the NSCDC’s attempts to protect the NRC from financial sabotage, the corporation continues to lose assets as a result of vandalism at its facilities nationwide. Even though there have been numerous arrests, he claimed that vandalism on tracks continues, and the number of offenders is increasing. The head of the NRC said that all possible measures should be considered to address the alarming trend, which he regarded as a well-planned plot to endanger the economy. He urged the Security Agencies and key stakeholders to work together more closely to prosecute offenders.
Vandalism threatens the safety of rail transportation.
Okhiria further called on the people to share information that would result in the apprehension of suspects in order to safeguard infrastructure intended to serve the general public’s needs. Ahmed Audi, the Commandant-General of the NSCDC, responded by revealing that the Corps had seized over 20 trailers carrying damaged railroad sleepers. He said that a number of people had been taken into custody in relation to the theft of railway slippers. Audi assures that the NSCDC is willing to exert more effort to stop the activities, but laments the sluggishness of the suspects’ prosecution.
He asserted that the NSCDC will fortify its disciplinary procedures and penalize any employees discovered undermining the coordinated endeavor. Audi urged NRC for help in providing for the wellbeing of those assigned to guard railroad infrastructure. The safety and effectiveness of Nigeria’s rail transportation infrastructure have been seriously threatened by rail track vandalism in recent years. Frequent service interruptions and higher maintenance expenses have resulted from the breakdown of rail infrastructure, including the pillaging of rail clips, tracks, and other major parts.
150,000 rail clips were between 2022 and 2023.
A number of factors contributing to these acts of vandalism, encompasses economic hardship, inadequate security, and the desire for scrap metal, which promotes the theft of rail components. Appropriate authorities and stakeholders have voiced worries regarding the effects of these operations on the country’s transportation network on numerous occasions. Vandalism on railway tracks has been reported in several regions of the nation, including the Abuja-Kaduna, Lagos-Ibadan, and Warri-Itakpe routes. These actions jeopardize passenger safety while also impeding the government’s endeavours to revitalize the industry which is within the framework of its larger strategy for infrastructure development.
Numerous law enforcement organizations, including the NSCSC, apprehended hundreds of people associated with track damage from 2020 to 2023. Approximately 150,000 rail clips were lost as a result of persistent vandalism along railroad tracks across the nation between 2022 and 2023. During this period, around 50,000 clips apiece along the standard gauge tracks between Lagos and Ibadan, Warri and Itakpe, and Abuja and Kaduna were vandalized. NRC has reported an increase in the number of incidents in 2024 involving the theft or destruction of railroad sleepers and other infrastructure elements.
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According to NRC estimates, replacing stolen items and fixing vandalized tracks requires billions of Naira yearly. The Nigerian government and security services have increased their efforts to curb vandalism in response to the mounting crisis. Enhanced rail line patrols, the use of surveillance equipment, and harsher sanctions for anyone found indulging in such behavior are some of these initiatives. Yet, vandalism persists, emphasizing the need for a more all-encompassing strategy that incorporates public awareness campaigns, programs for economic empowerment, and local community involvement in protecting rail infrastructure.