NRC Hails Court Sentence on Railway Vandals, Decries Fresh Attack on Rigasa Power Line

OLORUNDARE ENIMOLA, Lagos

The Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) has applauded the judgment of the Federal High Court, Ikoyi, which on Thursday sentenced two railway vandals to two years imprisonment each for tampering with critical components on the Warri–Itakpe rail corridor.

Justice A. I. Kala convicted the defendants, Mudansuru Mutari, 27, and Blorie Kokori, 39, after they were prosecuted for vandalism and economic sabotage. The duo were arrested at Kilometer 208 before Abraka, Delta State, and paraded by the Railway Police Command in Lagos prior to arraignment.

They were found guilty under Section 36(6)(b) and Section 1(10) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act, Cap 17, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2024. In his ruling, the judge described their actions as a threat to national security, stressing that the sentence should serve as a deterrent to other criminals targeting national infrastructure.

Reacting to the judgment, the NRC Managing Director, Dr. Kayode Opeifa, commended the Judiciary and security agencies for their coordinated efforts in securing the conviction. He said the ruling reinforces the Federal Government’s zero-tolerance policy on railway vandalism.

“This judgment reinforces the Federal Government’s zero-tolerance stance on railway vandalism. The NRC will continue to work closely with security agencies to ensure that anyone who attacks railway infrastructure faces the full weight of the law. Railway properties are national assets and not scraps,” he stated.

In a separate development, the Corporation has raised the alarm over another incident of vandalism on the 33Kv electricity line supplying the Rigasa Railway Station and the adjoining railway village in Kaduna State.

The power line, recently restored after two years of blackout, was attacked again just 60 days after previous repairs. NRC officials discovered the damage on Friday, confirming that vital components were carted away, plunging the area back into darkness.

Describing the situation as worrisome, Dr. Opeifa urged security operatives in Kaduna State to step up surveillance to curb the repeated attacks on rail infrastructure. He lamented that vandalism continues to hinder railway operations and disrupt the corporation’s objective of providing safe and efficient transport services.

He reaffirmed the Corporation’s resolve to sustain rail services despite the setbacks, urging perpetrators of the crime to desist.

The NRC assured passengers, host communities and stakeholders of its commitment to protecting railway assets and improving service delivery under the Renewed Hope Rail Agenda.