Twenty-one suspects have been apprehended by the Niger State Police Command for vandalizing the railway in the state.
Spokesperson of the command, DSP Wasiu Abiodun, who disclosed this in a statement on Wednesday, March 24, said the suspects were arrested at Esheti-Elegi community of Kataeregi, in Katcha Local Government Area.
DSP Abiodun said two suspects, Yusuf Ibrahim,35, of Sabo-Kasuwa Zungeru and Abubakar Makeri, 25, of Kpakungu Minna, were arrested on March 17, by police operatives attached to Kataeregi division.
The suspects were arrested with a canter truck with Reg. No. AGR 34 XA loaded with 80 pieces of rail slippers along Kataeregi-Minna road.
During interrogation, Abubakar Makeri confessed to have vandalized and stolen the rail tracks at Kataeregi, while he contracted Yusuf Ibrahim who is the driver of the vehicle to convey the tracks to Gwari Market, Minna.
Similarly, based on credible information, 17 suspects were arrested on March 22, for railway vandalization at Esheti-Elegi by police operatives of same division.
The suspects are Mohammed Usman Shehu, 20, Shehu Garba, 20, Adamu Dan Asabe, 22, driver, Salisu Bashiru, 30, driver, Yunusa Suleiman, 18, Mohammed Bello, 35, and Sadiq Bello,19.
Others are Isyaku Garba, 20, Yahaya Abubakar, 20, Rufai Adamu,16, Adamu Abdulrahaman, 25, Aminu Kabiru, 16, Idrisu Adamu, 20, Abdulkareem Musa, 25, Abdullahi Tajudeen, 16, Mustapha Musa, 15, and Shamsu Saidu, 17, all of Kodo/Beji Minna.
The suspects were sighted vandalizing the rail tracks along Esheti-Elegi village of Kataeregi, Katcha LGA while a police patrol team was mobilized to the scene and intercepted three canter trucks with Reg. no. RBC 356 ZN, GWA 629 XT and the third vehicle without Reg. no. loaded with rail tracks driven by Salisu Basiru, Shehu Garba and Yunusa Suleiman of Kodo village Minna.
One other empty truck without Reg. no. driven by one Adamu Dan-Asabe ‘m’ of Babban Gada, Bosso Minna was equally intercepted and arrested. The four drivers and thirteen labourers were all apprehended and taken into custody.
During interrogation, the leader of the gang, Mohammed Usman Shehu, confessed to have been contracted by one Alhaji Idris of Kaduna presently at large to mobilize vehicles to evacuate the rail tracks to Maitumbi, Minna.
Meanwhile, investigation is ongoing and all the suspects will be arraiganed in Federal High Court, Minna under Miscellanous Offences Act for prosecution as soon as investigation is concluded.
The PPRO said the command under the leadership of CP Adamu Usman will continue to redouble its effort in protecting life and properties in the State, while members of the public are equally urged to continue to give useful information to the police, as this is an effort of co-operation between the local community and the police.
