Troops of One Division of the Nigerian Army in Kaduna State have arrested 47 suspected rail track vandals along the Kakau Daji-Anguwan Ayaba area in Chikun Local Government Area of the state.
According to the Acting Deputy Director, Army Public Relations of the division, Lieutenant Musa Yahaya, the troops intercepted and arrested the suspects during a routine patrol on June 26, 2024.
He said that the suspects, who had loaded two trucks with the vandalized rail tracks before their arrests, revealed that they were employed by one Alhaji Babawo who is at large to load the vandalized rail tracks and off-load same in a nearby bush along the road.
Parading the suspects during profiling at 312 Artillery Regiment Kaduna, the Acting Commander 1 Division Provost Group Lieutenant Colonel I.Y. Rena, stated that the suspects who are 47 in number were profiled to ascertain their level of involvement during preliminary investigation.
He further stated that the suspects were also individually interviewed and cross-examined while efforts are in place to arrest the gang leader who is currently at large.
Lt. Col. Rena further revealed that on visit to the crime scene, some of the vandalized rail tracks were found concealed in the nearby bush waiting to be evacuated by the criminal syndicates .
While handing over the suspects to the authorities of Nigeria Railway Corporation, Kaduna Station represented by the Divisional Crime Officer, Lt. Col. Rena urged the relevant security agencies to make adequate arrangements and deliberate efforts to secure the rail tracks from further vandalisation.
In his remarks during the handing over of the suspects, the representative of the Nigeria Railway Corporation and Divisional Crime Officer, ASP Inuwa Dahiru, commended the troops of the Nigerian Army for their proactiveness and collaboration with other security agencies in tackling the mirage of security challenges confronting the state.
He assured the Nigerian Army that all the 47 suspects would be thoroughly investigated before they are charged to court to serve as a deterrence to other criminally minded persons.