The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps has sealed the facilities of two Chinese-owned firms, Inner Galaxy Steel Company and Jiuxing Integrity Industrial Ltd, over allegations linking them to the vandalism and illegal recycling of railway infrastructure across the country. The major operation, which followed weeks of investigation by security operatives, has triggered fresh concerns over the growing destruction of critical national assets and the activities of organised syndicates involved in economic sabotage.
According to the NSCDC, the crackdown came after the agency uncovered what it described as a “highly sophisticated syndicate” allegedly involved in stealing railway materials and transporting them to factories for recycling into commercial products. Authorities disclosed that operatives of the Commandant General’s Special Intelligence Squad, armed with court orders and search warrants, raided one of the companies’ facilities located in Birnin Yero, Igabi Local Government Area of Kaduna State, where large quantities of vandalised railway sleepers and tracks were reportedly recovered.
The NSCDC stated that investigations revealed that stolen railway components and other public infrastructure materials were allegedly moved to the companies’ factories in Aba, Abia State, and other locations nationwide where they were melted and converted into products such as nails, roofing sheets and reinforcement materials for commercial sale. Security officials claimed that confessional statements obtained from some arrested workers exposed a coordinated logistics network operating across multiple states. ..READ THE FULL ARTICLE HERE .
The agency further disclosed that suspects connected to the operation are currently being investigated for conspiracy, theft, destruction of railway infrastructure, concealment of stolen property and alleged financing of terrorism. The NSCDC added that the court order obtained for the operation covers all branches and subsidiaries linked to the affected firms nationwide, including facilities in Abia and Zamfara states.
National Public Relations Officer of the corps, Afolabi Babawale, confirmed that Chinese nationals associated with the management of the companies had been formally invited for questioning but had yet to appear before investigators. He stressed that the agency remains determined to pursue the matter to its logical conclusion while ensuring that all individuals found culpable are prosecuted according to the law.
Commandant General of the NSCDC, Ahmed Abubakar Audi, warned that there would be no hiding place for individuals or organisations involved in the destruction of public infrastructure. He directed officers handling the investigation to maintain professionalism and diligence while reaffirming the corps’ commitment to protecting critical national assets from vandals and criminal networks.
The incident has once again highlighted the serious challenge of railway vandalism in Nigeria, despite billions of naira invested by the Federal Government in modern rail transportation projects such as the Abuja Kaduna and Lagos Ibadan standard gauge rail lines. Experts have repeatedly warned that attacks on railway infrastructure not only threaten public safety but also increase maintenance costs, disrupt transportation services and weaken investor confidence in national development projects.
Many Nigerians have since called for stricter monitoring of industrial companies handling scrap materials and stronger collaboration between security agencies and local communities to tackle the growing menace of infrastructure theft. The latest operation by the NSCDC is being viewed as one of the most significant crackdowns yet against organised networks accused of profiting from the destruction of public assets across the country.
