Police arrest four over railway vandalism in Katsina

Recovered items. Photo: Police

The Katsina State Police Command has arrested four suspects for alleged criminal conspiracy, vandalism and unlawful possession of property suspected to have been stolen, following the recovery of 70 railway sleepers concealed in a vehicle.

The suspects were arrested at about 12:30 a.m. on October 11, 2026, when police operatives on routine stop-and-search duty intercepted a white J5 vehicle along the Kurfi–Tsanni Village Road.

The Command Public Relations Officer, DSP Abubakar Sadiq, disclosed this in a statement on Sunday in Katsina.

Sadiq stated, “The vehicle, with registration number BAU 821 ZY, was driven by a 25-year-old man, Anas Abdullahi, alongside three other occupants identified as Nasir Nuhu, Salisu Yusuf and Nuru Bala.

“The railway sleepers were concealed behind 17 bags of animal feed in the vehicle.

“Upon proper search, the vehicle was found conveying 70 pieces of railway sleepers, which were concealed behind 17 bags of animal feed,” the statement said.

The police boss said preliminary investigations revealed that one of the suspects, Nasir Nuhu, confessed to receiving the items from a man identified as Anas Moh’d, from Bauchi State, who is currently at large.

The statement added that the stolen items were allegedly intended for delivery to another man, identified as Umar Bashir, in Katsina.

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“The suspects remain in police custody. The operational vehicle, the 70 railway sleepers, and the 17 bags of animal feed used as a cover have all been recovered and secured as exhibits,” he added.

The command stressed that efforts were ongoing to apprehend the fleeing suspects and establish the exact origin of the vandalised railway tracks.

Sadiq added that “the Commissioner of Police in Katsina State, CP Ali Umar Fage, reiterated the command’s commitment to protecting critical national infrastructure and combating vandalism.”

He urged members of the public to provide timely and credible information to assist the police in taking prompt action against suspected offenders.

Earlier, the Ogun State Police Command arrested a 36-year-old man, Shobande Taofeek, over alleged vandalism and theft of railway infrastructure in the Arigbajo axis of the state.

The police also recovered 16 railway iron rods and two gas cylinders suspected to have been stolen during the operation.

The suspect was arrested by operatives of the Special Weapons and Tactics Unit on October 23, 2026, following intelligence reports about the alleged vandalism and theft of railway materials in the area.