The Nigerian Railway Corporation, NRC, has raised alarm over the persistent vandalisation of railway tracks and equipment across the country.
In an interactive session with newsmen at the NRC headquarters in Lagos, Managing Director of the Corporation, Mr. Fidet Okhiria, said some bad Nigerians were out to sabotage the efforts of the Federal Government to revive the rail sector.
Mr. Okhiria, said that the trend of vandalisation of railway equipment had extended to the newly constructed standard gauge tracks.
These included the Lagos-Ibadan, the Abuja-Kaduna and Warri-Itakpe Standard Gauge Train Services.
According to him, the trend is becoming serious and alarming.
On measures being taken to forestall the attacks on railway facilities and equipment, the Mr. Fidet Okhiria, said the Corporation is sensitising members of communities around the railway corridors, engaging security agents to deepen patrol of the corridors and also deploying technology like sensors and the satellite systems to prevent vandalisation.
Mr. Fidet Okhiria, called on Nigerians to prevail on those sabotaging the railway by removing equipment on both the standard and narrow gauge while seeking collaboration with the media in the fight against vandalism.
Correspondent Victor Okiche, quotes Mr. Fidet Okhiria as saying that the challenges are not affecting the rail services just as Passengers inflow is growing up on daily basis.
