Railway vandalism in Nigeria: a threat to railway development
In a recent press conference held in Lagos, Fidet Okhiria, Managing Director of the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC), revealed a major concern: vandalism of railway tracks. According to him, more than 50,000 rail fixing clips were vandalized between 2022 and 2023 along the Lagos – Ibadan, Warri – Itakpe and Abuja – Kaduna lines.
The general manager said that despite the NRC’s awareness-raising efforts among local communities, vandalism of the tracks continues. Acts of vandalism are therefore a real obstacle to the development of the country’s railway network.
The situation is worrying, particularly because of the frequent service interruptions caused by these acts of sabotage. For example, just before Christmas, more than 200 fixing clips were vandalized between Mushin and Oshodi areas, forcing the NRC to urgently replace them just three days later.
The Director General highlighted the need to develop solutions to protect the mounting clips and prevent further acts of vandalism. He suggested hiring a dedicated person for this task to provide additional expertise and guide the NRC’s actions.
Despite regular arrests of people involved in track vandalism, it is clear that the problem persists. To ensure effective development of Nigeria’s railway network, it is therefore essential to find sustainable solutions to combat these acts of vandalism.
Vandalism of railway tracks poses a threat not only to the NRC but also to the entire country. The railway network is an essential pillar of Nigeria’s economic and social development. The renovation and expansion of railway infrastructure facilitates the movement of people and goods, relieves congestion on the roads and reduces dependence on the road network.
It is therefore imperative that authorities take strict measures to deter acts of vandalism and punish offenders. Raising awareness among local communities, increasing surveillance of railway tracks and working with law enforcement are all measures that could help reduce vandalism and ensure sustainable railway development in Nigeria.
It is time that acts of railway vandalism are addressed as a national priority, to give Nigeria’s railway network the chance to develop and fully contribute to the country’s economic growth.