A 32-year-old man, James Matthew, was on Tuesday arraigned before a Lagos Magistrate Court sitting in Ikeja over allegations of vandalizing rail track, property belonging to the Nigeria Railway Corporation at PWD, Ikeja.
Matthew was arraigned before the Magistrate Court of Lagos State in the Ikeja Magisterial District on Charge No. M/7/3026. The charge was filed by the Attorney General of Lagos State through legal officers of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps.
According to the charge sheet, the defendant committed the offence on the 3rd day of July, 2026 at about 10:05pm at the PWD rail track, a property of the Nigeria Railway Corporation within the jurisdiction of the Ikeja Magisterial District.
The prosecution alleged in Count 1 that James Matthew unlawfully disconnected, removed, tampered with and meddled with rail sleepers belonging to the Nigeria Railway Corporation.
The act, the prosecution said, constitutes a felony and is contrary to and punishable under Section 340 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State, 2015. Section 340 deals with malicious damage and interference with public infrastructure, including railway property.
The charge was signed and dated the 10th day of July 2026 by Okandeji Erute Esq. and Ibrahim Yasmin Esq., both Legal Officers of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Lagos State Command. The NSCDC legal unit is located at Plot 1, Block B, Awolowo Way, Ikeja Business District, Alausa, Ikeja, Lagos State.
When the charge was read to him in court, he pleaded not guilty. The prosecutor, SP Phillip Ademigbuji, asked the Court to give a date for hearing to enable the Police to prove the allegations against the defendant.
The presiding Magistrate, Mrs. O. Kusanu, granted the defendant bail with two sureties who must show evidence of means of livelihood and tax payment.
The defendant was remanded in custody at the Correction Center at Kirikiri town, Lagos, pending the perfection of the bail conditions.
Rail vandalism has become a major concern for the Nigeria Railway Corporation and Lagos State Government in recent years. Authorities say the theft and tampering of rail sleepers, tracks and other components not only cause financial losses but also endanger the lives of passengers and disrupt train operations across the state.
Officials of the NSCDC, who effected the arrest, said the suspect was apprehended during a night patrol around the PWD rail corridor. The area has been identified by security agencies as one of the flashpoints for vandalism of railway infrastructure in Lagos.
The Nigeria Railway Corporation has repeatedly warned that anyone caught tampering with railway tracks, sleepers, cables or other assets will face prosecution. The corporation, in partnership with security agencies, has increased surveillance along key rail lines in Lagos to curb the menace.
Legal experts noted that Section 340 of the Lagos Criminal Law provides for stringent penalties for persons found guilty of damaging public infrastructure. The law was amended to protect critical assets such as power installations, water pipes, and railway equipment from destruction and theft.
The Attorney General of Lagos State, through the NSCDC legal team, is prosecuting the matter to serve as a deterrent to others.
The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps has reiterated its commitment to protecting public infrastructure and urged residents to report suspicious activities around rail tracks and other government facilities to the nearest security formation.
The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty by a court of competent jurisdiction.