Troops from the 4 Special Forces in Doma, Nasarawa State, have apprehended 12 suspected railway line vandals at Angwan Yara in Keana Local Council of Nasarawa State.
Major Joseph Afolasade, the acting Deputy Director of Army Public Relations, disclosed this information during a press briefing held in Doma.
Afolasade stated, “On June 15, 2023, troops from the command, during a routine patrol, intercepted five suspected rail track vandals at an abandoned railway station between Angwan Yara and Agyaragu communities in Keana Local Council. The suspects were arrested with a large quantity of rail track loaded in two fully loaded trucks.”
He continued, “During the course of the investigation, the troops arrested an additional seven suspects on June 18, who made confessional statements. They admitted to playing various roles in rail track theft and mentioned the names of prominent individuals in Nasarawa and Plateau states as part of the syndicate.”
Afolasade further revealed that the Army rejected a bribe of N5 million offered by the suspects in an attempt to secure their release. “They offered our personnel N5 million to allow them to leave with the vandalized rail track equipment, but our men rejected the money and arrested them,” he added.
He noted that the suspects claimed to have been deceived by their sponsors, who are currently on the run.
Major General Owyinka Soyele, the Commander of the Special Forces, approved the handover of the suspects to the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) for further investigation and prosecution.
Consequently, the suspects were handed over to the representative of the Nasarawa State Commandant of NSCDC.
Deputy Commandant of NSCDC, Afere Joseph, commended the Army for their cooperation in addressing insecurity and advised residents to refrain from criminal activities. He assured that the suspects would be prosecuted after a thorough investigation as a deterrent to others.
One of the suspects, Hasiru Modibbo, informed the Nigerian Tribune that one of his business partners contacted him and sent N300,000 to the drivers of the two vehicles involved.
It has been observed that railway line vandalism has become one of the most lucrative crimes in the North Central communities, where the popular South North rail line passes through.
YOU SHOULD NOT MISS THESE HEADLINES FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE
Full list: Covenant University ranks among Top 10 varsities in Africa
Covenant University, in Ota, Nigeria, has been ranked 7th in Times Higher Education’s (THE) inaugural Sub-Saharan Africa University Rankings for…
PEPC: Tinubu’s Chicago University admission transcript has female gender, Witness tells court
The Presidential Election Petition Court (PEPC) sitting in Abuja on Friday, admitted in evidence a transcript in…
‘How gunmen slaughtered vigilante operative in Enugu’
Gunmen have reportedly killed a member of the vigilante group, otherwise known as the Central Neighborhood Watch in…
Nigerians have reacted to the recent ‘implosion’ of a submersible called Titan which claimed the lives of…
‘NFF may have seen enough of him’, Ike Shorunmu speaks on possible renewal of Peseiro’s contract
Former Super Eagles goalkeeper, Ike Shorunmu, has expressed doubts about the renewal of head coach Jose Peseiro’s contract by…
LAST week, in fulfilment of his campaign promise, President Bola Tinubu signed into law the Student Loan Bill as…
A few days ago, the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) ordered all banks in the…
A group christened 'Lawyers for the Cause of Bauchi (LAWBA)' has decried the "selective, partial…
A group known as 'Forum of Ayatutu Professors' in Benue State on Saturday called for…
"Government and journalists are partners in progress particularly in a democratic dispensation. We understand that…
"Your work aligns clearly with our policy, and it also reflects leadership and foresight. You…
The Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) and the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) have…
This website uses cookies.