The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has dealt a major blow to a criminal syndicate involved in the vandalism and illegal movement of railway infrastructure following the arrest of two suspects and the recovery of a large quantity of stolen railway sleepers along the Bauchi-Kano corridor.

The operation, carried out by the Commandant General’s Special Intelligence Squad (CG’s SIS), was part of an intensified crackdown on economic saboteurs accused of targeting critical national assets across the country.

The suspects, identified as 65-year-old Alzuma Yakubu and 32-year-old Ismail Muhammad, were intercepted while transporting suspected vandalisedrailway materials in a Peugeot Boxer vehicle with registration number KMC-366-TE.

According to the NSCDC, the operatives acted on credible intelligence concerning the illegal movement of railway infrastructure from Tafawa-Balewa Local Government Area of Bauchi State to Kano State.

According to the spokesman of the Corps, Afolabi Babawale, upon interception and thorough inspection of the vehicle along the Bauchi-Kano Road, operatives discovered a huge consignment of suspected railway sleepers concealed inside the truck.

He said the driver, Yakubu, and Muhammad, who allegedly claimed ownership of the recovered items, were immediately arrested, while the vehicle and stolen materials were impounded as exhibits.

He noted the breakthrough followed a strategic directive by the Commandant General of the NSCDC, Ahmed Audi, who ordered the relocation of the CG’s Special Intelligence Squad to Bauchi State after concerns emerged over the increasing vandalism of railway infrastructure in the region.

He said the deployment came on the heels of an alarm reportedly raised by the governor of Bauchi State over the activities of suspected criminal elements allegedly operating under the guise of contractors linked to “Des-Rail Limited.”

In response, the Commandant General mandated the Special Intelligence Squad, under the leadership of Commandant Apollos Dandaura, to dismantle networks involved in the systematic destruction and illegal removal of railway infrastructure along the Bauchi-Gombe axis.

Security sources disclosed the arrested suspects are currently providing useful intelligence to investigators, as efforts intensify to uncover the wider syndicate behind the operation.

Investigators are also said to be tracking secret warehouses allegedly used for storing vandalised railway materials before they are transported to other states for illegal sale.

The NSCDC described the operation as a major success in the federal government’s ongoing efforts to safeguard Critical National Assets and Infrastructure (CNAI), particularly railway facilities considered vital to national economic growth and transportation development.

The Corps warned vandals, scrap dealers and other criminal elements involved in the destruction of public infrastructure that Bauchi and neighbouring states would no longer serve as safe havens for their illicit activities.

The latest interception underscores growing concerns over the rising threat posed by infrastructure vandalism in Nigeria, with security agencies increasingly battling organised syndicates accused of sabotaging public investments worth billions of naira.

Analysts said sustained attacks on railway facilities not only undermine economic development but also threaten ongoing efforts by the federal government to modernise the nation’s transportation network and improve regional connectivity. (Arise News)

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