NRC debunks claim of Lagos-Ibadan Standard Gauge railway line being vandalised and no longer safe for public use

The Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) has debunked recent media reports alleging that the Lagos-Ibadan Standard Gauge railway line has been vandalised and is no longer safe for public use. The agency clarified that the vandalism occurred on a different rail line and not on the standard gauge corridor. The clarification was made in a statement issued on Saturday, August 2, by the Managing Director of the NRC, Kayode Opeifa, and signed by the NRCs Chief Public Relations Officer, Callistus Unyimadu. The management of NRC has observed with concern a report published on the internet, which claimed that vandals invaded a section of the $1.5 billion Lagos-Ibadan Railway Project, the statement read. It stated that the vandals had stolen major components of the railway project inaugurated by late President Muhammadu Buhari in 2021, Mr Opeifa added. While commending the efforts of media outlets that highlighted threats to railway infrastructure, Mr Opeifa stressed that the video cited in the reports was not recent and did not depict the standard gauge railway. According to the NRC, the vandalised section was part of the old narrow gauge line located between Kilometre 170 (Omi-Adio) and Kilometre 240 (Erunmu) in Oyo State. The incident occurred between 7 August and 27 August 2024. Documented records showed that these acts were recorded twice in August (between Aug. 7 and Aug. 27, 2024) at Kilometre 218 (Erunmu, Ibadan) where 250 E-clips were vandalised, and at Kilometre 221 (Erunmu, Ibadan) where 16 short rails and one additional short rail were carted away, he said. Also, on Sept. 9, 2004, another 280 E-clips, including two poles, were stolen at Kilometre 219 (Erunmu, Ibadan), he added. Mr Opeifa said the NRC responded promptly through a series of community engagement initiatives involving the village head of Erunmu, local vigilante groups, and the police. Public sensitisation campaigns were also carried out at Agodi Gate, targeting scrap metal dealers to discourage the trade of stolen railway components. Following the actions, several suspects were arrested and handed over to the Railway Police Command in Lagos for further interrogation and prosecution, he said, noting that no further incidents of vandalism have since been reported in the affected area. NRC management wish to, again, warn all those who have remained recalcitrant to refrain from vandalising train tracks or risk stiff prosecution as economic saboteurs if caught, he stated.The post NRC debunks claim of Lagos-Ibadan Standard Gauge railway line being vandalised and no longer safe for public use appeared first on Linda Ikeji Blog.