NRC Reports Loss of 150,000 Rail Clips Due to Vandalism
The Managing Director of the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC), Fidet Okhiria, has revealed that the corporation suffered a significant loss of over 150,000 rail clips due to persistent vandalism along railway tracks across the country between 2022 and 2023.
Speaking at an end-of-year media briefing in Lagos, Mr. Okhiria highlighted that the vandalism targeted key routes, with over 50,000 clips each vandalised along the Lagos–Ibadan, Warri–Itakpe, and Abuja–Kaduna standard gauge tracks during the specified period.
The NRC has been actively engaged in sensitising communities where these acts of vandalism occur, aiming to raise awareness about the detrimental impact of such actions on the country’s rail network development.
“The major challenge we face is the persistent vandalism of our tracks, which is a significant problem. After we replace the tracks, they are vandalised again,” Mr. Okhiria explained.
He further stated that the corporation had recently experienced vandalism of over 200 clips in the Mushin–Oshodi area just before Christmas. Despite efforts to replace them promptly, the recurring incidents have posed a considerable challenge.
To address this issue, the NRC is exploring ways to protect the clips and is considering engaging a specialist to advise on security measures. Despite ongoing efforts and arrests related to vandalism, the corporation continues to face challenges in preventing such incidents.
Mr. Okhiria emphasised that occupying the trains on a daily basis could be a solution to curbing the vandalism of rail track clips, as a more active presence might deter potential vandals.
Source: Daily Nigerian
