NRC Debunks Stealing of Its Coaches in Maiduguri

Kasim Sumaina in Abuja

The Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) has debunked the news trending on social media platforms that an attempt was made to steal its coaches in Maiduguri, Borno State.

 The Borno State Police Command had yesterday said it foiled the theft of some train coaches at the Maiduguri Railway Terminus in the state capital.

When contacted, the spokesperson for the NRC, Mahmood Yakubu, denied knowledge of the incident.

However, the spokesperson of the state police command, Sani Kamilu Shatambaya, confirmed the incident, adding that six suspects had been arrested.

He said: “Yes, it is confirmed. We cannot confirm the number of train coaches yet but it is true. We also arrested six suspects and that is all I can tell you for now.”

But a statement issued by the Managing Director of NRC, Fidet Okhiria, hinted that the said coaches were not being stolen but were officially being moved to NRC Running Shed Jos, Plateau State to be overhauled and put back to operation.

He said: “The attention of the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) has been drawn to a news trending on numerous social media platforms purported to have emanated from Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), in which it was reported that attempt was made to steal NRC coaches from Maiduguri,  

 “NRC management wishes to clarify this erroneous reportage by stating that the said coaches are officially being moved to NRC Running Shed Jos, Plateau State to be overhauled and putting them back to operation. 

“NRC is trying to extend Rail Mass Transit all over the country,” the statement concluded.