Suspected Vandal Arrested For Damaging Railway Tracks To Sell As Scraps 

KINGSLEY EBERE 

Police operatives from the Lagos State Command have arrested a 21-year suspected vandal, Sulemon Bashir, for allegedly damaging the rail track by removing some rail track pandrol clips belonging to the Federal Government to sell as scraps. 

P.M.EXPRESS reports that the incident happened on 10th July, 2025, in the early hours of the morning at Railway Line, Abattoir, Agege, Lagos.

According to the Police, the suspect and others at large removed the items and were escaping before the Police, who were on routine monitoring in the area, apprehended him but the three accomplices managed to escape.

He was detained at the Railway Police station for interrogation over his alleged conduct. He was found culpable after rounds of interrogation and then charged before Court for the alleged offence, which attracts several years of imprisonment.

The charges read:

COUNT 1: “That you, SULEMON BASHIR ‘M’ and 3 others now at large on the 10th July, 2025, at about 0400hrs at Railway Line, Abattoir, Agege, Lagos in the Lagos State Magisterial District, did conspired to damage the Rail Track by removing some Rail Track Pandrol clips property of Federal Government of Nigeria and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 412 of the criminal law of Lagos State 2015.”

COUNT II: “That you, SULEMON BASHIR ‘M’ and 3 others now at large on the same date, time and place in the aforementioned Magisterial District, did criminally damage some Rail Track Pandrol clips Property of Federal Government of Nigeria thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 340 of the criminal law of Lagos State 2015. ”

COUNT III: “That you SULEMON BASHIR ‘M’ and 3 others now at large on the same date, time and place in the aforementioned Magisterial District, did steal some Rail k Pandrol clips valued Two Hundred Thousand Naira only (N200,000.00) Property of the Federal Government of Nigeria and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 287 of the criminal law of Lagos State 2015. ”

However, he pleaded not guilty.

The prosecutor, Supol Phillip Ademigbuji, then asked the Court to give a date for hearing since he pleaded not guilty to enable the Police to prove that he actually committed the alleged offence.

The Presiding Magistrate, Mrs. O. Kusanu, granted him bail with two sureties, who must show evidence of means of livelihood and tax payment while addresses will be verified by the Court.

The matter was adjourned for mention while the defendant was remanded in custody at the correctional center at Kirikiri town, Lagos, pending when he will perfect his bail conditions.