- Ibadan Rail Corridor: NRC Raises Alarm Over Alleged Council-Led Vandalism
- According to the NRC, the incident occurred on Monday, February 2, 2026, and was allegedly carried out under the supervision of the Chairman of Ibadan South-West Local Government Council, Kehinde Adeyemi Amada
- The NRC said critical rail assets, including rails, sleepers, signal poles and billboards, were destroyed and removed during the operation
The Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) has accused a Local Government Council in Oyo State of supervising the destruction of railway infrastructure worth several million naira in Ibadan, warning that it will pursue security, administrative and legal action to protect railway corridors nationwide.
Eko Hot Blog reports that in a statement issued on Tuesday by the NRC’s Chief Public Relations Officer, Mr Callistus Unyimadu, the corporation described the incident as a serious and disturbing breach, involving the destruction and removal of fixed railway assets along its statutorily protected right-of-way in Ibadan South-West Local Government Area.
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According to the NRC, the incident occurred on Monday, February 2, 2026, and was allegedly carried out under the supervision of the Chairman of Ibadan South-West Local Government Council, Kehinde Adeyemi Amada, who was reportedly present at the scene.
The corporation alleged that the council chairman led a group consisting of thugs, individuals dressed in Nigerian Army uniforms, and operatives of the Oyo State Security Network Agency, Amotekun, to vandalise NRC property along the Mile One–Ten axis of Ibadan.
Unyimadu said the chairman reportedly claimed he was acting on the instructions of the state governor.
“According to the report, the destruction which occurred on Monday, February 2, 2026, was carried out by the Chairman of the Ibadan South-West Local Government Council, Kehinde Adeyemi Amada, who allegedly led a group comprising thugs, persons dressed in Nigerian Army uniforms, and operatives of Amotekun to vandalise NRC properties at the Mile One–Ten axis,” the statement read.
The NRC said critical rail assets, including rails, sleepers, signal poles and billboards, were destroyed and removed during the operation. Fences belonging to tenants operating legally within the corridor were also reportedly pulled down.
The corporation stressed that the affected corridor is a clearly defined and legally protected railway right-of-way, warning that any form of encroachment or interference amounts to a violation of federal law.
Unyimadu further disclosed that officers of the NRC Police Command who attempted to halt the operation were forcefully resisted, leaving them with no option but to withdraw to prevent escalation.
Describing the incident as a grave violation of federal railway assets, the NRC confirmed that it has begun comprehensive documentation of the destruction.
“The Nigerian Railway Corporation will not fold its arms while critical national assets are vandalised,” the statement said, adding that the matter extends beyond local governance and directly concerns national infrastructure protection.
In the statement, the Managing Director of the NRC, Dr Kayode Opeifa, appealed to the Oyo State Governor to urgently intervene by calling the local government chairman to order.
Opeifa warned that failure to address the issue could result in a breakdown of law and order, as well as continued violations of the rights of railway workers operating in the area.
He, however, reaffirmed the corporation’s commitment to maintaining peace and acting responsibly, even in the face of provocation.
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