2 POLICE MEN, 10 OTHERS ARRESTED FOR VANDALISING RAILWAY EQUIPMENT

12 suspected criminal, including 2 police officers, have been arrested by the police for vandalizing equipment belonging to Eastern District, Nigerian Railway Corporation.

More than 10 vehicles and tricycles used in the act were also impounded.

Parading the suspects at the Railway Police Station in Enugu, the Area Commander, Eastern Railway District, Mr. Henry Njoku, said the arrest was carried out by the command through an intelligent report.

Addressing journalists, Mr. Njoku alleged that the suspects, including two police officers serving under the Police Command in Enugu, were intercepted when they were using police patrol vehicle to commit the crime.

Mr. Njoku stated that the suspected criminals had already caused great havoc on the corporation before the arrival of his men, identifying lack of operational equipment as their major challenge.

In an interview, two of the suspects, Friday Nome, who claimed to be an indigene of Ebonyi State and Ndubuisi Ifeanyi, alleged to be an indigene of Abia State, said they were forced by the suspected police officer to help them load the materials on that faithful day without knowing the goods were stolen.

For a long time now, rail transportation in the South East have been almost in a comatose state, as grasses have over grown most of the rail lines while some of the tracks are being occupied by people doing one business or the other.

The problem of the corporation was made worsen recently by vandals who to steal its equipment such as armored Cable, slippers and other Irons worth hundreds of millions of naira.

OBINNA OGBUKA