The Nigerian Railway Corporation has raised fresh alarm over increasing case of railway vandalism in Bauchi and Plateau State, warning the attacks pose a serious threat to public safety, rail transportation and national security.
In a statement issued on Saturday, the NRC Chief Public Relations Officer, Callistus Unyimadu, described the development as “a direct attack on critical national infrastructure and government investment.
The NRC disclosed that one of the latest incidents occurred on May 21, 2026, when a truck allegedly conveying vandalised railway materials got stuck between Kuru and Science School, Kuru, in Plateau State.
According to the NRC, the incident exposed the activities of criminal elements involved in the destruction and illegal transportation of railway materials.
The corporation further disclosed that along the railway corridor in Zango, Bauchi State, between Kilometer 878 and 889, railway slippers were completely removed on both sides of a level crossing, leaving behind only a few disjointed rail pieces.
It warned that continued vandalism of railway facilities could trigger catastrophic train accident, disruption of rail services, loss of lives and destruction of public assets worth billions of naira.
The NRC stressed that railway tracks, slippers, clips, fastenings, and signalling materials were critical national assets constructed with public funds to facilitate transportation, trade, economic activities, and national development.
These facilities should never be treated as scraps for illegal business.” the statement added.
The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the NRC, Dr Kayode Opeifa, condemned the persistent attacks on railway facilities, describing the trend as sabotage against national progress and a threat to the safety of passengers and railway workers.
According to him, the increasing incidents of vandalism in the North-Central and North-East corridors indicate a dangerous pattern that requires urgent collective action from security agencies, state governments, traditional rulers, community leaders, and residents living along railway lines.
He appealed to Nigerians to regard railway infrastructure as “a national symbol and strategic economic asset that must be protected at all times.”
Opeifa further warned vandals, scrap dealers, and individuals involved in the illegal purchase, movement, or destruction of railway materials to desist immediately, stressing that anyone caught would face the full weight of the law.
The corporation urged security agencies to intensify surveillance and enforcement operations around railway corridors nationwide, while calling on members of the public to remain vigilant and promptly report suspicious activities around railway facilities to relevant authorities.
