The Nasarawa State Police Command has arrested the Special Adviser on Infrastructure to Governor Abdullahi Sule for vandalising railway tracks and slippers in Lafia and Keana local government areas of the state.
The Command also arrested two police officers, personnel of the Nigeria Security And Civil Defence Corps, a former Supervisory Councillor on Education in the state, Mohammed Isiaka, a principal technical officer of the railway corporation covering the Agyaragu area of the state, Samuel Shagbaor and a Chinese citizen.
The series of arrests were disclosed by the state’s Commissioner of Police, Bola Longe, on Thursday in Lafia, while parading the suspects at the Force Headquarters.
Longe further said one Nathaniel Bob, a legal adviser to a Chinese company was also arrested for attempting to bribe the police with N600,000 to secure the release of his client but the bribe was rejected.
“Nathaniel Oba ‘M’ 48 years old – Principal Partner Nathoba & Co a law chamber in Benin City and the legal adviser to Yong Xing Steel Company Nigeria Limited offered six hundred thousand naira cash to bribe the investigating team of the Anti-Kidnapping Unit to secure the release of his client,” Longe said in a statement.
“Two other persons, Yusuf Ahmed and Abubakar Nuhu said to be owners of trailers used to transport the stolen railway slippers also allegedly tried to bribe the police with N160,000 for the release of their vehicles. They are however in custody for conspiracy.
“Based on the information at the disposal of the Nasarawa State Police Command from multiple sources, which all indicated that criminal elements have turned the Nigerian railway tracks that traverse some major cities and villages in Nasarawa State en route to Benue state to gold mines where they vandalise and cart away rail tracks/slippers.
“Consequently, the State Police command developed a strategic anti-vandalism template to arrest the tide of this unwholesome scenario.
“It is gratifying to note, however, that, this template paid off on 16/5/2021 at about 0130hrs and 24/5/2021 at about 0300hrs respectively when police operatives swooped on the vandals at their theatre of operation while vandalising and carting away railway tracks/slippers along Agyaragu Tofa in Lafia LGA and Angwan Alago of Kadarko district in Keana LGA.”
