The biggest battle the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) faced in the outgoing year is vandalism, its Managing Director Fidet Okhiria has said.
Okhiria, who stated this while addressing reporters in Lagos, said over 50,000 clips used to stabilise the rail slippers were stolen from the Lagos-Ibadan Standard gauge Train Service (LITS) in the year.
The NRC boss said similar vandalisation had been recorded on the Abuja-Kaduna Train Service (AKTS) and the Itakpe-Warri Train Service (IWTS).
He expressed worry that the vandals returned to vandalise the items even after they had been restored.
Between Mushin and Oshodi alone, over 200 clips were stolen by vandals on the standard gauge two days after they were restored.
Okhiria said the vandals targeted the narrow and the standard gauge systems where rail facilities were stolen by economic saboteurs.
The NRC boss hailed the Federal Government for the free train ride it offered Nigerians as part of the presidential Yuletide palliatives.
