Lagos: The Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) has refuted an online publication claiming that the Lagos-Ibadan Standard Gauge Line has been vandalised and is not safe for usage. The Managing Director of the corporation, Dr Kayode Opeifa, made the clarification in a statement in Lagos. The statement was signed by Mr Callistus Unyimadu, Chief Public Relations Officer, NRC.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, the management of NRC expressed concern over a report published online, which claimed that vandals had invaded a section of the $1.5 billion Lagos-Ibadan Railway Project. It was alleged that major components of the railway project, inaugurated by late President Muhammadu Buhari in 2021, had been stolen. Opeifa clarified that while the NRC appreciated the media’s efforts to spotlight activities of economic saboteurs affecting railway operations, the video referenced was not recent and did not pertain to the Lagos-Ibadan Standard Gauge corridor.
Opeifa explained that the incident occurred between August 7 and August 27, 2024, on the old narrow gauge line between Kilometre 170 (Omi-Adio) and Kilometre 240 (Erunmu) in Oyo State. According to NRC internal communication dated August 7, 2024, the vandalised section involved the narrow gauge line laid on concrete sleepers. Documented records indicated incidents at Kilometre 218 and Kilometre 221 in Erunmu, Ibadan, where E-clips and short rails were stolen.
On September 9, 2004, another theft of E-clips and poles was reported at Kilometre 219 in Erunmu, Ibadan. These incidents prompted immediate intervention by the corporation, involving community engagement with the village head of Erunmu, a vigilante group, and the police. Sensitisation campaigns were also organised at Agodi Gate, targeting scrap metal dealers to prevent the purchase of stolen railway materials.
Following these actions, several suspects were arrested and handed over to the Railway Police Command in Lagos for further interrogation and prosecution. Since then, no further incidents of vandalism have been reported in the area. NRC management has issued a warning to deter individuals from vandalising train tracks, emphasizing the risk of prosecution as economic saboteurs if caught.
