By Zaharaddeen Ishaq Abubakar | Katsina Times

The Katsina State Police Command has arrested four suspects over alleged criminal conspiracy, vandalism and possession of property suspected to have been stolen after recovering 70 railway sleepers concealed in a vehicle.

The police said the suspects were arrested at about 12.30 am on 11 October 2026 when operatives on routine stop-and-search duty intercepted a white J5 vehicle with registration number BAU 821 ZY along the Kurfi–Tsanni Village Road.

The vehicle was driven by Anas Abdullahi, 25, accompanied by Nasir Nuhu, Salisu Yusuf and Nuru Bala.

According to a statement issued on Sunday by the command's Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Abubakar Sadiq Aliyu, the railway sleepers were concealed behind 17 bags of animal feed.

The statement said preliminary investigations revealed that one of the suspects, Nasir Nuhu, confessed to receiving the items from Anas Mohammed, a Bauchi State resident who is currently at large.

The stolen items were allegedly intended for delivery to another individual, Umar Bashir, in Katsina.

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The police said the four suspects remained in custody, while the vehicle, the 70 railway sleepers and the 17 bags of animal feed had been recovered and secured as exhibits.

It added that efforts were ongoing to arrest the fleeing suspects and establish the exact location from which the railway infrastructure was vandalised.

The Commissioner of Police in Katsina State, CP Ali Umar Fage, reiterated the command's commitment to tackling the vandalism of critical national infrastructure.

He urged members of the public to provide timely and credible information to assist the police in preventing and investigating such crimes.

The command said further developments would be communicated as investigations progressed.