The Nigeria Railway Corporation (NRC) has said that the incessant vandalism of its rail tracks had slowed down work on the Port Harcourt to Makurdi line.

The Regional Manager of the Eastern District of the corporation, Mr Felix Njoku, told newsmen in Enugu that the repeated vandalism of the rail tracks was a major source of concern for the corporation.

“At Amaeke in Umuahia, over 15km of line, the clips on them were totally removed. We use those clips to clip the slippers on the rail line so that in the course of vibration, the train will not shake.

“They removed 15 kilometres of it, one by one. They are just small things like this and 100 per cent metal.

“At Ishiagu, what we have started is welding them on the rail and on the slippers. But for maintenance purposes, it is another challenge we are going to create; but now, for you to do any maintenance, you need a welding machine.“

The district manager said the corporation welded them on the tracks in order to forestall further damage.

Njoku said the management had met with security agencies, traditional and religious leaders to assist in checking the activities of the vandals.

“It is difficult to police over 430km of rail lines because most of them are located in the bush,“  he said.

The manager appealed to steel companies to reject stolen rail line materials or report people selling them to security agencies.

The district manager appealed to the public particularly community leaders to assist the corporation in checking the activities of vandals.

On the 30,000 cubic metres of stone allegedly seized by Ebonyi State Government, Njoku said the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator  Anyim Pius Anyim and the Transport Minister had intervened in the matter.

“If these issues were urgently resolved, train services would commence from Port Harcourt to Enugu before the end of the year.“