The Special Adviser to the Governor of Nasarawa State on Infrastructure, Yusuf Musa, has been arrested for his alleged role in the vandalism of railway tracks.

This was announced by the Nasarawa State police commissioner, Bola Longe, while parading Mr Musa and other suspects at the Force Headquarters in Lafia on Thursday.

Mr Longe, in a press release obtained by PREMIUM TIMES, said the suspects, including police officers, were nabbed following the intelligence information received by the command.

According to him, the suspects have “turned the Nigerian railway tracks that traverse some major cities and villages in Nasarawa State en route to Benue state to gold mines where they vandalise and cart away rail tracks.”

“Consequently, the State Police command developed a strategic anti-vandalism template to arrest the tide of this unwholesome scenario.”

“It is gratifying to note however, that, this template paid off on 16/5/2021 at about 0130hrs and 24/5/2021 at about 0300hrs respectively when police operatives swooped on the vandals at their theatre of operation while vandalising and carting away railway tracks/slippers along Agyaragu Tofa in Lafia LGA and Angwan Alago of Kadarko district in Keana LGA.”

Mr Longe stated that Richard Joseph, an inspector of police; Mali Peter, a sergeant; Ibrahim Usman, an official of Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps; and three others were arrested at the crime scenes.

He, however, said an extensive investigation into the case led to the arrest of Mr Musa and ten others.

Others arrested include Mohammed Isiaka, a former supervisory councillor on education, Nasarawa Eggon LGA; Marra Thai, a Chinese national and the Manager of Yong Xing Steel Company, Tunga Maje, FCT Abuja, and Samuel Shagbaor, a staff of the Nigerian Railway Corporation.