Enugu State Police Command on Wednesday said its personnel have arrested three male suspects over railway track vandalism at Emene, Enugu state.
The suspects, including one 56-year-old Chukwuma Okoye, Boniface Eze, 37 and 25-year-old Oluchukwu Igboke, all from Anambra state were intercepted and arrested while conveying vandalized railway tracks and slippers along Enugu-Abakaliki highway by a joint security patrol team headed by the Command’s anti-kidnapping squad.
According to a statement made available to Journalist101 by the Police Public Relations Officer, Daniel Ndukwe, the Commissioner of Police, Mohammed Ndatsu Aliyu, has frowned at the vandalisation of critical national infrastructure in the state and warned that criminals who indulge in such acts would not go unpunished.
Part of the statement reads “Pursuant to the operational strategies, including collaborative security operations, devised by the Commissioner of Police, Enugu State Command, CP Mohammed Ndatsu Aliyu, psc, to actualize mandates of Operation Restore Peace in the State, 3 male suspects have been arrested for their involvement in railway tracks and slippers vandalism with their operational lorries and large pieces of the vandalized items recovered.
“Accordingly, one Chukwuma Okoye aged 56 and Oluchukwu Igboke aged 25, both of Anambra State, were intercepted and arrested on 02/07/2021 at about 0140hrs, by a Joint Security patrol team, headed by the Officer-in-Charge of the Command’s Anti-Kidnapping Squad, at Emene Enugu, along Enugu/Abakaliki highway.
“Upon search conducted on two mercedes trucks with registration numbers: AWK 296 YX and UWN 471 ZX, they were respectively driving, the Operatives uncovered large pieces of vandalized railway tracks and slippers, they both confessed to be transporting from Ezza-Nkwubor, Emene to Anambra State. The two lorries and the vandalized items have been recovered.
“Similarly, Police Operatives attached to the Command’s CP Monitoring Unit on 10/06/2021, arrested one Boniface Eze aged 37, of Anambra State and recovered a Mercedes 911 lorry with registration number: XC 360 UWN loaded with vandalized railway tracks and slippers at Ezza-Nkwubor, Emene, Enugu.
“His arrest is due to the Operatives swift response to credible information, alleging that some persons vandalized the said railway tracks and slippers, loaded and were about to transport same to an unknown location.
“The suspect and driver of the said lorry also confessed to be transporting the vandalized items to Anambra State.
“Meanwhile, efforts have been intensified to arrest accomplices to the crime, with the view to charging them to court once investigation is concluded.
“To this end, the Commissioner, while frowning at the act of criminal vandalism of critical national infrastructures, such as railways, that are meant for public good, has warned unrepentant criminal elements to steer clear of such critical public assets in the State or be ready to face the full weight of the law.
“He, therefore, calls on residents of the State to remain law-abiding, vigilant and promptly report criminals and their acts of vandalism to the nearest Police Station”.
