Troops from the 4th Special Forces Headquarters in Doma, Nasarawa State, apprehended 12 alleged rail track vandals in Angwan Yara, Keana Local Government Area (LGA) of Nasarawa State.
Maj. Joseph Afolasade, the Command’s Acting Deputy Director of Army Public Relations, made the announcement at a news conference on Friday in Doma.
“On June 15, 2023, troops of the Command, during a routine patrol, intercepted five suspected rail track vandals at an abandoned railway station between Angwan Yara and Agyaragu communities of Keana LGA.
“The suspects were arrested with a large quantity of rail tracks loaded in two 12-tyre trucks.
“In the course of the investigation, the troops arrested additional seven suspects on June 18 who had made confessional statements.
“They admitted to have played various roles in the theft of the rail tracks and mentioned names of some prominent persons in Nasarawa and Plateau States as being part of the syndicate.
Maj. Afolashade further stated that the Army turned down a bribe of N5 million proposed by the accused.
“They offered to give our personnel N5 million to allow them go with the rail tracks, but our men rejected the money and arrested them,” Maj. Afolasade added.
He stated that the suspects claimed to have been duped by their sponsors, who are now on the run.
He said that the suspects had been turned over to the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) for further investigation and prosecution.
cc: Vanguard Ng
