Nigeria’s House of Representatives has launched an investigation into the frequent vandalism of railway properties in Nigeria, with the Committee on Land Transport leading the probe.
The committee has requested comprehensive explanations and evidence from the Nigeria Railway Corporation (NRC) regarding the reported vandalisation of rail tracks and other assets across the country.
Chairperson of the Committee, Blessing Onuh, condemned the situation as unacceptable and described it as evil, emphasising the urgent need to stop it to prevent rail accidents.
Onuh highlighted incidents observed during the movement of coaches from Maiduguri to Jos, which raised suspicions of diversion and theft of NRC’s assets. Concerns were raised about the safety of the NRC’s assets, particularly the tracks, amidst reports of vandalism of tracks, sleepers, and other equipment intercepted in various parts of the country.
The committee implicated some NRC staff in the scam aimed at enriching themselves.
Joshua Gana, a committee member, called for heightened vigilance from the joint security team tasked with securing the rail network and emphasised the importance of developing the Nigerian railway sector.
Gana emphasised the need to combat internal theft of Nigerian assets and suggested the implementation of safety measures, such as monitoring rail tracks before allowing passengers to embark on journeys.
In response, the Managing Director of the Nigeria Railway Corporation, Mr. Fyneboss Okhiria, explained that the incidents perceived as vandalism and theft were actually related to obsolete and rundown equipment earmarked for replacement.
However, the Committee expressed dissatisfaction with Okhiria’s explanations, deeming them unreasonable, and insisted that there were suspicious activities involved in the entire situation.