Fences and properties belonging to tenants operating legally within the railway corridor were also reportedly destroyed during the operation.
The Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) has confirmed a SaharaReporters report revealing the large-scale destruction and removal of railway fixed assets worth several millions of naira in Ibadan South-West Local Government Area of Oyo State, allegedly orchestrated by the council chairman, Hon. Kehinde Adeyemi Amanda.
In a statement signed by the Corporation’s Chief Public Relations Officer, Callistus Unyimadu, the NRC disclosed that it received a disturbing report of coordinated vandalism and encroachment on its statutory right-of-way at the Mile One–Ten axis of Ibadan, an area legally designated and protected as federal railway property.
According to the statement, the incident occurred on Monday, February 2, 2026, when Amanda allegedly led a group comprising armed thugs, individuals dressed in Nigerian Army uniforms, and operatives of the Oyo State Security Network Agency, popularly known as Amotekun, to forcibly invade the railway corridor.
The NRC said the group proceeded to vandalise, dismantle, and cart away vital railway infrastructure, including rails, concrete sleepers, signal poles, billboards, and other fixed installations belonging to the Corporation.
Fences and properties belonging to tenants operating legally within the railway corridor were also reportedly destroyed during the operation.
The statement read, “The Nigerian Railway Corporation has received a worrisome report involving the destruction and removal of railway fixed assets worth several millions of naira along its right-of-way in Ibadan South-West Local Government Area of Oyo State."
The Corporation further disclosed that the Chairman of Ibadan South-West Local Government allegedly claimed he was acting on the directive of the Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde.
"According to the report, the destruction which occurred on Monday, 2nd February 2026, was carried out by the Chairman of the Ibadan South-West Local Government Council, Hon. Kehinde Adeyemi Amanda, who allegedly led a group comprising thugs, persons dressed in Nigerian Army uniforms, and operatives of Amotekun to vandalize NRC properties at the Mile One-Ten axis,” the NRC said.
"The Council Chairman claimed to be working on the instructions of the state Governor.”
"During the incident, NRC rail assets including rails, sleepers, signal poles, billboards, as well as fences belonging to NRC tenants along the corridor, were reportedly destroyed and carted away. The Corporation stated that the affected area is a clearly defined and statutorily protected railway right-of-way," Callistus said.
He explained that the NRC Police Command's efforts to repel the action were reportedly resisted, forcing the officers to withdraw from the scene.
"The Nigerian Railway Corporation described the incident as a grave violation of federal railway assets and stated that it is documenting the matter comprehensively,” Callistus said.
"The Corporation further noted that it will pursue appropriate security, administrative, and legal actions to safeguard its assets and prevent future encroachments on railway right-of-way nationwide and especially this act of vandalism.
"The NRC Managing Director, Dr Kayode Opeifa, appealed to the Oyo State Governor to call the Ibadan South-West Local Government Chairman to order, to avert a breakdown of law and order and the continued abuse of the fundamental rights of Railway workers.”
"The Managing Director, pledged the continued maintenance of law and order in the face of provocation," the statement added.
Earlier, SaharaReporters reported that Akande had been accused of leading suspected thugs to invade and vandalise properties belonging NRC.
According to eyewitnesses who spoke with SaharaReporters, the incident occurred on February 2, 2026, at the Mile One Central/Odo Ona axis of Ibadan, where NRC railway assets are located.
Residents alleged that the chairman arrived at the scene with a group of armed youths who forcefully pulled down and carted away railway tracks, concrete sleepers, signal poles, count boards and other critical rail infrastructure.
An eyewitness said the operation was carried out in broad daylight, throwing the area into confusion as residents watched helplessly.
The reportedly vandalised NRC assets are part of federally owned infrastructure under the supervision of the NRC, as eyewitnesses expressed shock over the alleged involvement of a serving local government chairman.