FG seeks public support to end vandalism of critical infrastructure

The Federal Government has appealed to Nigerian Communities to own all Government projects sited in their environments to stop further vandalisation of public infrastructure.

Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, made the call on Monday, following revelations that vandalisation of critical Government infrastructure in Nigeria reached alarming levels.

Officials of the Federal Ministry of Transportation had on Monday stated that the activities of vandals were significantly straining the national budget and endangering lives of Nigerians, as they steal newly installed rail and road infrastructures.

BusinessDay gathered that the criminal activities range from the theft of power cables, removal of essential bridge components and rail lines, especially along the Warri-Itakpe and Abuja-Kaduna rail lines

Officials of the Nigeria Railways, also revealed that the vandals had also removed the newly installed communications system that was installed to monitor the Abuja-Kaduna rail line real time, for security purposes.

Recall that between 2021 and 2025, over 200 incidents of vandalism were recorded by the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN).

Also in 2024 alone, the TCN reported 13 major cases, spending N9 billion to restore power infrastructure in Northern Nigeria.

The vandal targeted high-tension towers, transformers, and armored cables as well as aluminium railings used to protect bridges.

The Nigeria Railway.officials stated that communication gadgets installed in the wake of the 2023 bandits attacks on the Abuja-Kaduna rail line to monitor security realtime, were later vandalised by hoodlums

Onanuga speaking at the Renewed Hope Ambassadors event organised to showcase the achievements of the Tinubu’s Government, said ” I think something is wrong with us as Nigerians.

“If you are unfortunate you can run into manholes in Abuja because vandals have removed most of their protective coverings”, he said.

He also cited the vandalisation of the protective iron railings on the new Lagos -Calabar coastal road, adding that” All these things being provided by the Government belong to Nigerians.

“My major concern is security. I know about the Kaduda-Kano Road too, people went and vandalised most of the things.

“As we speak today, the stealing of rail lines, it’s a major problem. You know, even the ones we are doing in Kaduna -Kano, that we are yet to complete, they are stealing it.

“You know, in Nigeria, see Abuja, anywhere you have metals, even on the manholes, they steal it.
“I recall one of those days, we travelled to China for due diligence. We told the Chinese to give us an anti-theft facilities to protect our rail lines, they were wondering, what do you mean by anti-theft? How can a normal person go and start stealing these things? But that’s the reality in Nigeria.

“So it’s a problem we are facing, but the office of the National Security Advisor NSA is also help us out of the whole problem. So we just hopong that they will help us.

“So, we are appealing to all the people, the towns along the corridor, we have got some security companies so that they will engage with the locals there, so that they will help us to do surveillance around these things.

“Whoever is doing this, this is a great disservice to all of us. They should not see it as if it’s government property”, he said.

He therefore, appealed to the media and all the stakeholders, community leaders and faith-based organisations to rise up to protect public properties from further destruction.

He, however, assured that the Government of President Bola Tinubu would be introducing more vandal-proof mechanisms to make it difficult for vandals to vandalise public utilities and infrastructures and safeguard the rail facilities across the Country.