By News Editor
The Nigerian Railway Corporation has been responding to the growing menace of rail road traders defacing the rail tracks in Lagos, and across the country. It says it is not helpless in taming the shameful act and warned traders to desist from the act to avoid arrest and prosecution.
Speaking exclusively with The Nation Correspondent on Wednesday, NRC Managing Director Engr Fidet Okhiria said the management has directed the Nigerian Railway Police Command to clamp down on rail side trading in Lagos and across the country, adding that anyone caught would be prosecuted.
Describing the action as “suicidal”, Okhiria said the traders’ action contravenes the extant Nigerian Railway Act and anyone caught is liable and would be prosecuted. He said the traders and illegal squatters have defaced the tracks, turning what ought to be a national treasure to a thing of national embarrassment.
Okhiria, who described the action as unwholesome, explained that besides enforcement of the law, the corporation is already taking other measures that would eventually prevent the abuse of the rail tracks and protect the nation’s investment on the standard gauge.
According to him, the corporation is already erecting a fence all through the rail corridor to prevent trespassing into the rail lines, adding that once the corridor is entirely secured, anyone caught within the tracks would be regarded as an offender and be treated as such and prosecuted.
He said: “The action of these traders is out-rightly against the law, and the Railway Police Command have been directed to protect the national asset by arresting anyone caught trespassing on the tracks corridor. Right now we are erecting a fence along the entire rail corridor, when this is completed, we expected the tracks to be more secured as we can fully go ahead with enforcement and anyone caught trespassing would be dealt with in accordance with the law.”
He added that the corporation would also be introducing more frequency on the rail lines. Okhiria said the corporation would be introducing between eight and 10 more passenger lines as well as three cargo lines on the Lagos-Ibadan standard gauge before Christmas. The frequency of these speed trains would naturally take care of trading on the tracks as people would be cautious of embarking on suicidal activity.