The Nigerian Railway Corporation suspended operations on the Lagos-Kano Standard Gauge Railway corridor after repeated acts of vandalism damaged signalling equipment and overhead communication cables along the Kaduna-Kano stretch. The NRC managing director confirmed that vandals had removed critical components from the railway's automated signalling system, forcing a complete halt to passenger and cargo services.
The vandalism occurred across multiple locations between Kaduna and Kano, with security patrols reporting that cable theft and equipment removal had escalated over several weeks. The NRC said the affected sections covered approximately 180 kilometres of the corridor, with replacement parts requiring special procurement from international suppliers.
Passengers who had booked travel on the affected routes were offered partial refunds or rebooking onto alternative dates. Freight operators reported significant delays to goods shipments along the corridor, with agricultural produce and manufactured goods stuck at depots in both Kaduna and Kano. The NRC said it was working with security agencies to restore services but could not provide a timeline for full resumption.