Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Kano State Command, has arrested a 22-year-old man, Sani Ismail, for allegedly vandalising and stealing critical railway infrastructure belonging to the Federal Government’s ongoing Kaduna-Kano standard gauge railway project. The arrest was confirmed in a statement signed by the command’s spokesperson, SC Ibrahim Idris Abdullahi.
According to the NSCDC, the suspect, a resident of Kuya village in Ikara Local Government Area of Kaduna State, was apprehended in Kiru Local Government Area of Kano State following an intelligence-led operation. Preliminary investigations revealed that Ismail had removed eleven rail line clips installed on the new standard gauge railway line currently under construction. A hammer believed to have been used in prying off the clips was recovered from him at the time of his arrest .
The State Commandant, Mohammed Hassan Agalama, condemned the act, describing it as economic sabotage capable of undermining government efforts at infrastructural development and national economic growth. He warned vandals and other criminal elements to desist from tampering with critical national assets or face the full weight of the law . The Commandant reaffirmed the Corps’ commitment to safeguarding critical national infrastructure, particularly Federal Government projects, and assured that the suspect would be prosecuted upon the conclusion of investigations. He also called on residents to support security agencies with timely and credible information to curb vandalism .
In a separate but related development, the NSCDC also arrested two suspected impersonators identified as Yusuf Usman and Muhd Auwal, both aged 22 and residents of Kawo Jirga in Nassarawa LGA, Kano State. The two men allegedly posed as Civil Defence volunteers despite not being registered in the organisation’s volunteer database. According to the statement, the suspects were operating from a location bearing the NSCDC logo, where they allegedly harassed and maltreated a social media comedian. Investigation into the case has been concluded, and necessary legal actions will be taken against the two suspected fake volunteers .
The arrests are part of a broader crackdown on infrastructure vandalism across northern Nigeria. A nationwide operation launched by the NSCDC following a viral video showing extensive destruction of railway tracks has already led to the arrest of a syndicate of 12 suspects in Kaduna State, accused of using a steel company as a front to recycle stolen rail materials into nails and iron rods . The NSCDC has reiterated that economic sabotage will not be treated with leniency and that the Corps will go after the sponsors of vandalism networks .
The Kaduna-Kano railway project is a major federal initiative designed to boost trade and transportation between the northern commercial hubs of Kaduna and Kano. The theft of rail clips, which are essential for securing tracks to sleepers, poses a severe safety risk and could lead to train derailments if left undetected. The arrest of Sani Ismail underscores the ongoing challenge of securing large-scale infrastructure projects from criminal elements.
All suspects are currently in NSCDC custody and will be charged to court upon the conclusion of investigations.
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