NRC Confirms Vandalism of Railway Assets, Implicates Oyo Local Government Chairman

The Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) has confirmed the large-scale vandalism and theft of its critical infrastructure in Ibadan, allegedly led by the Chairman of Ibadan South-West Local Government, Hon. Kehinde Adeyemi Akande.

In an official statement, the NRC detailed that the incident occurred on Monday, February 2, 2026, along its protected right-of-way in the Mile One–Ten axis. The Corporation alleged that Chairman Akande led a group comprising armed thugs, individuals in Nigerian Army uniforms, and operatives of the state’s Amotekun security outfit to carry out the operation.

According to the NRC’s Chief Public Relations Officer, Callistus Unyimadu, the group dismantled and carted away vital assets worth millions of naira, including rails, concrete sleepers, signal poles, and billboards. Properties and fences belonging to legal tenants within the railway corridor were also destroyed.

The statement further claimed that Akande asserted he was acting on the instructions of Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde. Efforts by officers of the NRC Police Command to intervene were reportedly resisted, forcing their withdrawal from the scene.

The NRC has condemned the act as a “grave violation of federal railway assets” and stated it is comprehensively documenting the event to pursue necessary security, administrative, and legal actions. The Corporation’s Managing Director, Dr. Kayode Opeifa, has appealed directly to Governor Makinde to call the local chairman to order to prevent a breakdown of law and order.

This confirmation follows an earlier report by SaharaReporters, which featured eyewitness accounts describing the brazen daylight operation that caused panic among residents. The vandalized assets are federally owned infrastructure crucial to the national rail system.