Man O’ War operatives arrested Gift Eseeli, a 38-year-old Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) employee, for allegedly stealing cables at Rafa Yard on the Warri-Itakpe Train Service corridor.
NRC spokesman Callistus Unyimadu confirmed the arrest and said officers, led by Mr. Williams Agiake, intercepted Eseeli after detecting missing 50mm armored signal cables from the trackside installations.
Security personnel recovered the stolen cables intact and handed them over to the Nigeria Police Force, which has launched a full investigation into the incident.
NRC Managing Director, Dr. Kayode Opeifa, condemned the act and declared that anyone who destroys national infrastructure will face strict legal consequences.
“Railway assets are national treasures. Vandalism threatens passenger safety and undermines President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope infrastructure initiative,” Opeifa stated in a press release.
He emphasized that the NRC will prosecute anyone either staff or civilians found guilty of vandalism, without exception or leniency.
Sources report that railway vandalism has become frequent. Just two weeks ago, vandals disrupted the Warri-Itakpe service until repairs restored operations.
