Operatives of the Man O’ War Railway Command have apprehended a Nigerian Railway Corporation staff member, Gift Eseeli, for allegedly stealing “several lengths of 50mm armoured signal cables” along the Warri-Itakpe Train Service corridor.
In a statement signed by the NRC Acting Spokesman, Callistus Unyimadu, the stolen items were recovered intact and handed over to the Nigerian Police Force for further investigation.
The statement partly reads, “The management of the Nigerian Railway Corporation wishes to inform members of the public that operatives of the Man O’ War Railway Command apprehended one Gift Eseeli (male, 38), an NRC employee, at Rafa Yard along the Warri-Itakpe Train Service (WITS) corridor for alleged cable theft.”
According to the statement, several lengths of 50mm armoured signal cable had been removed from the trackside installations before officers, led by one Williams Agiake, intercepted the suspect.
The NRC spokesman added that the stolen items were recovered and the suspect was handed over to the police for further investigation.
The statement further read,” Preliminary findings indicate that several lengths of 50mm armoured signal cable had been removed from the trackside installations before vigilant officers led by Mr Williams Agiake, intercepted the suspect. The stolen items were recovered intact and handed over to the Nigerian Police Force which has commenced a full investigation.”
The Managing Director of the NRC, Dr Kayode Opeifa, reiterated that NRC properties are national assets, insisting that any act of sabotage targets the country and the Nigerian people.
He said, “Railway assets are national assets. Act of vandalism endanger passengers’ safety and sabotaged the Renewed Hope infrastructure drive of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration.”
However, he vowed that the NRC would prosecute any individual or group, including workers, “found culpable of vandalism without exceptions.”