Stop the vandals!

The recent instance of vandalisation of railway tracks around Rigasa in Kaduna State remains one more outrage too many, against the nation’s stock of critical infrastructure. Adding to this outrage was also the destruction of the 33 KVA electric power station supplying the Rigasa Railway station and surroundings.

Considering that the latest incident occurred just 60 days after the line was repaired following an earlier attack on it, raises serious concern over what is actually happening there.  Ordinarily, both acts coming at any time constitute major instances of economic sabotage against the nation. However, coming at this time of heightened demand for travel services ahead of the Yuletide season, and in the face of a runaway state of insecurity on Nigerian roads makes the development more worrisome.

The recent Rigasa incident is not an isolated instance but fits into a disturbing trend of assaults on the nation’s railway establishment.  The Rigasa incident signals a new dimension whereby even the power station adjoining it was also destroyed and a huge stock of its cables carted away, with the situation putting the entire surrounding area into darkness.

Before the Rigasa incident, previous instances of vandalisation of railway infrastructure have been rife across the country, and had been a major concern as a threat to safe and efficient train operations and the safety of the passengers.

Some of the instances are those of May 2021 when the NRC recorded five instances of vandalisation. Specifically, in that month three persons were arrested in Kaduna in connection with vandalising the Kaduna-Kano rail line. On May 14 of the same year, five persons were caught vandalising the Warri – Itakpe line. Also in that period another five persons were caught vandalising the rail line at Dalle village in Jema’a Local Government Area in Kaduna State.

As if in synchronisation with other outrages across the country in the same period, a similar instances of vandalisation was reported in  Enugu, which led the NRC to admit a serious disruption to its operations in the South East and in Papalanto when two trains – one coming from Lagos to Ibadan and the other moving from Ibadan to Lagos – were forced to stop there, until the damage was repaired to the rail line before their respective journeys could resume.

Early this year a train on Abuja-Kaduna line derailed causing some of its coaches to veer off the rail causing injuries to passengers. It took the NRC more than two months to restore a skeletal service on the line.

Considering that across the world, rail transport remains one of the safest and most reliable options for mass transit, this recurring vandalisation of rail tracks is, therefore, unacceptable, especially coming at a time when the country is expanding investment in the rail sector.

In Nigeria, in particular, rail service is becoming a very important option to road transport in view of its available to move large number of people and goods. Again there is a renewed move by the government to invest in the sector and invite private investors to do the same.

We at the Daily Trust believe that the NRC needs to think outside the box for solutions to the incessant attacks on its operational facilities. It is pertinent for the managers of the NRC to realise the the Nigerians expect them to take all appropriate measures to ensure seamless services in all their areas of operations.One of the vital areas is ensuring security of their tracks. Given advances in technology NRC has many options to choose in securing the nation’s rail tracks and this is not negotiable.

The NRC needs to harmonise its security management with the components of the nation’s security architecture to ensure that the stoppage of rail line attacks and vandalistion remains its exclusive brief.

Law enforcement agencies must also ensure that all those arrested in this act are made to face the full wrath of the law to serve as detterent.

All that Nigerians demand from the NRC is that the country’s rail transport system must be safe and secure for them to travel across the country in safety and comfort. No more, no less.

Nigerians can now invest ₦2.5 million on premium domains and profit about ₦17-₦25 million. All earnings paid in US Dollars. Rather than wonder, click here to find out how it works.

Join Daily Trust WhatsApp Community For Quick Access To News and Happenings Around You.