The Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) has recorded a major breakthrough in its clampdown on railway vandalism with the arrest and prosecution of a suspected track vandal in Lagos.
The suspect, Bashiru Hafeez, 32, was arrested on Thursday, March 26, 2026, by security personnel from Multi Eye Security Services attached to Mobolaji Johnson Train Station, Ebute Metta, during a routine patrol.
He was allegedly found in possession of 15 pandrol clips—iron rail fasteners believed to have been removed from the narrow gauge corridor at Alagomeji within the Lagos rail network. The components are vital to track stability, and their removal poses serious safety risks, including derailment.
Following his arrest, he was handed over to the Nigerian Railway Police Command for investigation and prosecution.
He was later arraigned before a Lagos court and remanded at the Ikoyi Correctional Centre pending further hearing. The case was adjourned till April 24, 2026.
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Managing Director of the NRC, Kayode Opeifa, reiterated the corporation’s zero tolerance for vandalism, describing such acts as economic sabotage capable of endangering lives and undermining critical infrastructure.
He commended the security personnel for their vigilance and swift response, assuring that the corporation, in collaboration with security agencies, would intensify efforts to track, arrest, and prosecute individuals and syndicates involved in the destruction and theft of railway assets.
Opeifa warned that anyone found culpable in vandalising railway infrastructure or dealing in stolen materials would face the full weight of the law.
The NRC urged the public to remain vigilant and report suspicious activities along railway corridors, stressing that the railway is a critical national asset that must be protected.
