By Fidelis Ugbomeh
The vandalization of railway infrastructure along railway corridor by hoodlums over the years despite pockets of arrests by Nigerian Railway Police and it’s Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps counterpart has rewwmained a source of concern to stakeholders in railway sector.
While the management took some immediate steps to address the recent removal of bolts and clips at Agbarho community in Delta state and two spans of bridges at Oghaho in Enugu state, some stakeholders opined that the management should be more proactive and not wait for criminal elements to cause damage before taking remedial actions.
Speaking on the two separate vandalism attacks on the Warri-Itakpe line and Oghaho section of Nkanu east, local government area, Enugu state in eastern district, managing director, Nigerian Railway Corporation, (NRC) Dr. Kayode Opeifa commended the community vigilante group at Agbarho for reporting the case promptly.
He noted that following a report from the community vigilante group of track vandalism at Agbarho community, Ughelli north Local government area of Delta state, the railway track and safety officers quickly verified the report and did the needful for safe passage of the trains.
According to him, the quick alarm and response, led to safe passage of the Warri-Itakpe train after 40 minutes delay before departure.
Opeifa specifically thanked the Agbarho Community Vigilante Group for having an eye on the NRC track.
He called on other communities to emulate the Agbarho community vigilante and begin to protect railway facilities in their communities as they are national assets.
In case of eastern district of the corporation, two spans on bridge No.24 at KM284 (Oghaho section) Nkanu East LGA, Enugu State, Eastern District were removed
According to Opeifa, it was discovered that a length of (Bridge 24) heavy frames were cut into pieces by the criminals, using oxygen and escetelen.
Although no arrest was made he stated that the long spans bridge beams met on ground have been recov
Opeifa urged the security agencies to redouble their efforts in stopping this economic sabotage, as management is ever ready to support them in dealing with the challenging task of securing railway facilities across the country.
A retired railway officer, Mr. Jonathan Ikhafia however advised that the best way to protect the tracks apart from physical presence of security operatives is the constant operation of trains.
He noted that hitherto there were little or no case of vandalization of railway tracks but that since the suspension of rail service especially in some northern and eastern parts of the country some idle youths have cashed in on inactivity to fete from selling tracks and components with ease.
Ikhafia stated further that the perpetrators these days have so much confidence and time to carry gas cylinders in the night/day to remove tracks/components of about 250 kilometers for several hours without any obstruction because train operations has been suspended.
According to him, to make the narrow gauge tracks busy, the management of the corporation should redouble efforts to repair the serviceable locomotive engines in the corporation’s fleet as well as procure new ones.
“if the trains are operational and are working effectively, the tendency to remove tracks/components by criminal elements will be reduced for fear of either been nabbed or killed by security operatives and train respectively,” the ex-serviceman said.
He pointed out that apart from shortfall in number of functional locomotive engines in the corporation’s fleet, one of the reasons for suspension of long distance passenger and freight transit from Lagos to Kano and Port-Harcourt was due to vandalization of tracks in some sections between Mokwa, Minna and Kaduna as well as between Kaduna, Kafanchan and Enugu.
khafia said that for instance when management embarked on test run of a freight train from Lagos to Kano last year, the driver was restricted to move slowly in the day time with stop over at nights throughout the six days duration.
This approach according to him was adopted in order to avert any accident and loss of goods worth billions of naira due to track vandalization.
He therefore called for engagement of some interested youths in the local communities along the railway corridors as vigilante groups so as to enable them keep a constant watch on the tracks.
Mr.John Iguma, a resident of Warri-Itakpe railway corridor, said that the fight against vandalization of railway tracks and components should be taken to the companies that purchase the items.
He stated categorically that perpetrators of the act of removing clips and nuts can’t continue if there are no ready buyers adding that the companies and officials involved in buying should be traced, arrested and prosecuted in order to serve as deterrent to others.