The Nigerian Navy School of Armament Technology (NNSAT), Kachia Local Government Area, Kaduna State said it had intercepted three trailers loaded with vandalised railway tracks .
The NNSAT Commandant, Commodore Henry Aruomaren, made this known at a news briefing in Kachia on Wednesday.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the suspects and the seized railway tracks have been handed over to the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) for profiling and further investigation.
Aruomaren said that the feat was in continuation with the fight against criminal activities within Kaduna State and its environs.
“The NNSAT Kachia internal security checkpoints at Makyali, Kachia LGA, acting on actionable intelligence at about 0500 on Feb. 2, intercepted the three trailers.
”The trailers with registration numbers ABJ 897 XB, MGU 232 ZF and XG 276 JJN, respectively, were laden with vandalised railway track materials concealed with animal feeds,’’ he said.
The commandant said that the vandalised railway tracks ran through Katul-Crossing in Kachia LGA to Kafanchan.
He said that the railway tracks had not been in use for some time hence, criminal elements devise means to make it a source of income by vandalising and selling off the metal irons.
“Reportedly, the suspects were arrested by the internal security checkpoint team during a stop and search operations.
“Consequently, the base was informed of the arrest and a Strike Force was dispatched to the scene of the arrest to move the suspects and the exhibits to the Base for further investigation.
“It suffices to state that, only one of the three trailer drivers was arrested while others absconded when they got the information that NNSAT internal security checkpoint had arrested the first trailer, ‘’he said.
Aruomaren reassured residents of the state and Nigerians at large that the Navy would continue to do her best to protect lives and national assets.
According to him, this is in line with the Strategic Directive 2023 – 6 of the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Adm. Emmanuel Ogalla.
He appealed to the public and community leaders to assist with credible information about the disposition of criminals in their domains to enable the Navy to protect them better.
“I want to emphasize that criminality of any kind strives only where there is community support.
“Once there is no such support, criminals do not settle in the community.
”We must therefore work collectively to ensure that we put criminals out of business by denying them freedom of action, “Aruomaren said.
The commandant warned criminal elements operating within the Kachia area and in other parts of the state that the Navy, in collaboration with other security agencies, was irrevocably committed to ridding the state of criminal elements no matter where they may be hiding.
The Head of Anti-vandal Unit, NSCDC, Mr Joseph Pamdep, while receiving the railway tracks and the suspects commended the Navy for the feat.
Pamdep said NSCDC would continue to work in synergy with all the security agencies in the protection of critical assets and deal with criminal elements in the state
