The troops of the 4 Special Forces stationed in Doma, Nasarawa State, have apprehended 12 individuals suspected of vandalising rail tracks.
POLITICS NIGERIA reports that the arrests took place at Angwan Yara, in the Keana Local Government Area (LGA) of Nasarawa State.
Acting Deputy Director of Army Public Relations, Maj. Joseph Afolasade revealed this during a press briefing on Friday in Doma.
According to Maj. Afolasade, the troops intercepted five individuals on June 15, 2023, while conducting a routine patrol. These suspects were caught at an abandoned railway station situated between Angwan Yara and Agyaragu communities in Keana LGA.
The soldiers discovered a substantial quantity of stolen rail tracks loaded onto two trucks.
This newspaper understands that further investigations led to the subsequent arrest of seven additional suspects on June 18, who made confessional statements regarding their involvement in the theft. They also revealed the names of influential individuals from Nasarawa and Plateau States implicated in the criminal syndicate.
Maj. Afolashade further disclosed that the arrested suspects attempted to bribe the army personnel with a staggering sum of N5 million in order to secure their release along with the stolen rail tracks. However, the soldiers rejected the bribe and apprehended the culprits. The suspects claimed to have been deceived by their fugitive sponsors.
Maj. Gen. Owyinka Soyele, the Commander of the Special Forces, authorised the handover of the suspects to the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) for further investigation and prosecution. In response, Deputy Commandant Afere Joseph, representing the Nasarawa State Commandant of the NSCDC, expressed gratitude for the Army’s collaboration in combatting insecurity within the state. He assured that thorough investigations would be conducted and the suspects would face prosecution as a deterrent to others involved in such illicit activities.
During questioning by journalists, one of the suspects, Hasiru Modibbo, revealed that he was contacted by one of his business partners, who subsequently sent N300,000 to the drivers of the two trucks involved in the crime.
