The Osun State Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps has arrested a 24-year-old man, Olalekan Kehinde, for allegedly vandalising railway tracks in the Dagbolu area of Osogbo.
In a statement released on Friday, Kehinde Adeleke, the command’s spokesperson, revealed that the suspect and an accomplice, identified as Abbey, carried out the crime over two days before being caught in the act.
“On Sunday, November 17, 2024, Olalekan Kehinde and his accomplice, Abbey, who is still at large, vandalised a railway track in Dagbolu by removing pandrol clips with a hammer,” the statement read.
“The following day, they were apprehended during another attempt to vandalise the railway. While Kehinde was arrested, Abbey managed to escape.”
Adeleke disclosed that Kehinde admitted his partner had taught him how to dismantle the clips, which they sold to scrap metal dealers in the state.
Reacting to the incident, the Osun NSCDC Commandant, Igbalawole Sotiyo, condemned the recurring damage to national infrastructure and issued a stern warning to scrap metal dealers.
“We will conduct regular inspections of scrap metal shops across the state,” Sotiyo stated. “Anyone found trading in stolen materials will face the full extent of the law.”
Sotiyo also praised the vigilance of Dagbolu residents, whose prompt reporting enabled the arrest.
Pandrol clips, made of high-strength steel, are essential components used to secure railway tracks to sleepers.
Their theft not only undermines the stability and alignment of the tracks but also poses serious safety risks to train operations. Due to their value as scrap metal, they are often targeted by vandals.
