However, this claim has been dismissed by the corporation, stating none of its coaches were stolen.
Earlier on Saturday, a source confided in our correspondent that police officers, acting on a tip-off by good samaritans in the area, apprehended alleged thieves who tried to steal some train coaches at the Maiduguri Railway Terminus.
The source said, “A suspected theft of train coaches of the Nigerian Railway Corporation was foiled at the Maiduguri Railway Terminus following a tip-off by good samaritans. The suspects were also apprehended by the police.”
When contacted for confirmation, the spokesperson for the Nigerian Railway Corporation, Mahmood Yakubu, denied knowledge of the incident but asked our correspondent to reach the regional manager for details.
However, a call to the telephone number of the district manager, Aliyu Mainassara, indicated that his line was switched off.
The incident was however confirmed by the spokesperson for the Borno state police command, Sami Kamilu.
He added that six suspects had been arrested.
He said, “Yes, it’s confirmed. We can’t 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.”
However, the Nigerian Railway Corporation in a statement on Saturday night debunked the incident saying the coaches are officially being moved to NRC Running Shed Jos, Plateau State, to be overhauled and put back into operation.
The statement signed by the Managing Director, NRC, Fidel Okhira, read, “The attention of the Nigerian Railway Corporation has been drawn to a news trending on numerous social media platforms purported to have emanated from Nigerian Television Authority, 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 into operation.
“NRC is trying to extend Rail Mass Transit all over the country.”
