NRC Raises Alarm Over Coordinated Railway Vandalism In Plateau, Bauchi

OLORUNDARE ENIMOLA, Lagos

The Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) has raised fresh concerns over what it described as coordinated attacks on railway infrastructure in parts of the country, following recent incidents of vandalism in Plateau and Bauchi states.

In a statement issued on Friday in Lagos, the corporation said the incidents posed a serious threat to public safety, economic development and national security.

According to the NRC, one of the latest cases occurred on May 21, 2026, when a truck allegedly conveying vandalised railway materials became stuck between Kuru and Science School in Kuru, Plateau State, exposing the activities of suspected criminals involved in the destruction and illegal transportation of railway assets.

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

The NRC warned that such acts of sabotage could trigger fatal train accidents, disrupt railway services, endanger lives and destroy government investments worth billions of naira.

The corporation stressed that railway tracks, sleepers, clips, fastenings and signalling materials are critical national assets funded with public resources to support transportation, trade and economic growth, noting that they should not be treated as scraps for illegal business activities.

Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the NRC, Kayode Opeifa, condemned the recurring attacks on railway infrastructure, describing them as acts of sabotage against national progress and a grave threat to the safety of passengers and railway personnel.

He said the increasing rate of vandalism along the North Central and North East railway corridors suggested an organised pattern that required urgent collective action from security agencies, state governments, traditional rulers, community leaders and residents living along railway lines.

Dr. Opeifa appealed to Nigerians to regard railway infrastructure as a national symbol and strategic economic asset that must be protected at all times.

He also warned vandals, scrap dealers and individuals involved in the illegal purchase, movement or destruction of railway materials to desist immediately, stressing that anyone apprehended would face the full weight of the law.

The corporation further urged security agencies to intensify surveillance and enforcement operations around railway corridors across the country, while calling on members of the public to remain vigilant and promptly report suspicious activities around railway facilities.

The statement was signed by the NRC’s Chief Public Relations Officer, Callistus Unyimadu, on behalf of the management of the corporation.