Police arrest suspected rail tracks vandals in Niger State

The Police authority in Niger state, has arrested 19 suspected vandals of rail tracks in Kateregi area of Katcha Local government area.

The suspected vandals were arrested through a credible intelligence gathering mechanism from some good Samaritans in the area who alerted the police in Kateregi divisional command.

Addressing Journalists at a newsbriefing at the police headquarters in Minna, the Police Public Relations officer, Abiodun Wasiu, DSP, explained that Yusuf Ibrahim of Sabon Kasuwa Zungeru and Abubakar Makeri of Kpakungu area of Minna were arrested with a canter truck with Reg. No AGR 34 XA loaded with eighty pieces of rail slippers along kataeregi-Minna road.

According to the police spokesman, during interrogation, the said 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, in Minna.

Similarly, the command spokesman disclosed that the command effected the arrest of 17 other vandals of railtracks at Esheti-Elegi village, of Kataeregi.

He stated that based on credible information received, the police operatives of the same divisional command, swoop on them and whisked the suspects.

He disclosed that the police operatives sighted them vandalizing the railtracks along Esheti-Elegi village of Kataeregi, in Katcha Local government area “and the police patrol team were mobilized to the scene and intercepted three canter trucks with Reg. No 356 ZN, GWA 629 XT and the third vehicle without Reg No loaded with rail tracks driven by Salisu Basiru, Shehu Garba, Yunusa Suleiman all of Kodo village.”

Abiodun Wasiu further told Journalists that one other empty truck without Reg No. driven by one Adamu Dan- Asabe 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, he said, Mohammed Usman Shehu confessed to have been contracted by one Alhaji Idris of Kaduna “presently at large to mobilize vehicles to assist to evacuating the railtracks to Maitumbi, Minna”

The breakthrough recorded in the arrest of the suspects according to him, was attributed to the support received from members of the public through the provision of useful information to the command, stressing the need for collective synergy from the public to ensure the safety of lives and property of the citizens at all times.

Assuring that the command under the leadership of the Commissioner of Police, Mr Adamu Usman will continue to redouble its effort in the protection of lives and properties in the State.

He stated that all the suspects will be charged to Federal High Court, Minna under the Miscellaneous Offences Act for prosecution as soon as investigation was completed.