Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The Yobe State Police Command has arrested five suspects allegedly involved in the vandalisation of railway infrastructure, recovering 85 steel sleepers unlawfully removed from railway installations. The joint operation involving police officers and members of a local Hunters Group led to the arrest of the suspects in the Nannawaji area of Gujba Local Government Area while they were transporting the stolen railway components.
The command’s Public Relations Officer, SP Dungus Abdulkarim, disclosed this on Saturday, June 6, 2026, in a statement seen by newsmen in Damaturu. According to the statement, the suspects were intercepted in a Mitsubishi Canter vehicle with registration number YAB‑234YJ (Abuja), which was loaded with 85 railway steel sleepers suspected to have been unlawfully removed from railway installations.
The suspects have been identified as Abdullahi Habu, 27, of Potiskum LGA; Abba Muhammed, 18, of Buni Yadi, Gujba LGA; Salisu Adamu, 20, of Buni Yadi, Gujba LGA; Isiyaka Adamu, 20, of Potiskum LGA; and Muhammed Muhammadu, 23, of Kukareta, Damaturu LGA. During preliminary investigation, the suspects reportedly confessed that the alleged mastermind behind the vandalism is one Abba Chari, 45, a resident of the Yadin Buni area of Gujba LGA.
Abdulkarim said that investigation is ongoing with a view to arresting other accomplices and ensuring the diligent prosecution of all persons connected to the crime. He noted that the suspects and the 85 recovered steel sleepers are now in police custody.
Yobe State Commissioner of Police, CP Usman Kanfani Jibrin, warned criminal elements to desist from acts of vandalism and other related offences. He further reiterated that anyone found engaging in the vandalisation of public infrastructure or any criminal activity will face the full wrath of the law. Jibrin also assured residents that the police would continue to protect public infrastructure across the state.
This arrest highlights a persistent challenge facing Nigeria’s critical infrastructure. Despite significant investment in the rehabilitation and expansion of railway networks, acts of theft and vandalism by criminal elements continue to impede progress. The stolen steel sleepers, which are essential components for rail tracks, are often sold as scrap metal, at significant cost to the national economy and public safety. The issue is not new; in July 2025, troops of Operation Hadin Kai in Yobe intercepted a truck loaded with vandalised railway iron sleepers in Gujba LGA, arresting eight individuals, including five operatives of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC). Similarly, in January 2026, the NSCDC in Bauchi State arrested five suspects and intercepted a truck carrying vandalised railway tracks. These repeated incidents prompted the Managing Director of the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC), Kayode Opeifa, to call for comprehensive legislation banning scrap-metal picking in April 2026, describing the theft of components like rail clips as an “economic saboteur.” According to Opeifa, the NRC lost over 150,000 rail clips to vandalism between 2023 and 2025 alone, and parts of the $2.6 billion Lagos‑Ibadan railway project have been stripped bare by thieves.
There have been growing calls for a legal crackdown. The Yobe State Police Command expressed its appreciation for the vital intelligence provided by local community members and the Hunters Group, which led to the successful operation. CP Jibrin urged other residents to continue partnering with law enforcement to protect critical national assets.
The five suspects are expected to be charged to court upon the conclusion of the investigation, as the police intensify efforts to dismantle the criminal network behind such acts of economic sabotage. The Command reiterated its resolve to pursue all individuals involved in the vandalisation of public infrastructure and ensure they face the full consequences of their actions.
The recovered steel sleepers have been secured as exhibits, and the investigation continues.
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