By; MATTHEW UKACHUNWA Lagos
The management of Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) has said that the vandalized rail track that was circulated on viral video does not belong to it.
NRC said that all of its standard gauge lines have been in daily operation.
“From a close observation one will clearly confirm that trains have not passed on that track for some time as it is devoid of the usual shining evidence of friction between the wheels and the rail,” the Corporation stated in a statement signed by Paschal Nnorli for the Management on August 16, 2023.
NRC pointed out that the track in circulation is double track, and emphasized that only the Lagos-Ibadan section of the corporation’s standard gauge is dual track, and that it witnesses daily train operations.
“It is pertinent to state that even though the Corporation records pockets of vandalization of tracks accessories, the one in circulation is certainly not within the jurisdiction of the Corporation,” NRC announced.
It said that on the 9th of August 2023, the Railway Police in Rigasa in collaboration with other security agencies arrested a gang that specialized in vandalizing track accessories and signalling equipment. “A large quantity of track accessories including clips and nuts were recovered from them. Investigation is currently ongoing to get to the end users,” NRC declared.
The Corporation urged the general public, especially communities along railway corridor, to join hands with it and security agencies in curbing the menace of those vandals by promptly reporting suspicious movements along the rail track to the nearest railway station or security agency.
