NRC boss cracks down on illegal railway property deals

Anxiety has gripped the Nigerian Railway Corporation following a stern warning by its Managing Director, Dr Kayode Opeifa, against the unauthorised sale, lease, or allocation of the corporation’s landed properties.

In an internal circular dated December 18, 2025, and referenced MDL.360/25/T/VOL.1-062, the management disclosed that it had uncovered alleged illegal dealings in NRC properties by some officers without due authorisation.

The memo, obtained by The PUNCH, was addressed to Railway District Managers in Ebute Metta, Ibadan, and five other districts, with copies sent to key directorates, including Procurement, Legal, Commercial, Human Resources, Mechanical and Engineering, Operations, and Finance.

According to the circular, some officers were allegedly involved in leasing, allocating, or otherwise transacting NRC landed assets without proper documentation or approval from the Office of the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer.

Recall that barely nine months ago, members of the Nigerian Union of Railway Workers and the Senior Staff Association of Communications Transport Cooperation accused NRC Properties Limited of unlawfully selling and converting railway assets in some states, particularly in the North.

While the unions alleged that several NRC properties were unjustly converted, the property management company maintained that all transactions followed due process.

The aggrieved workers subsequently petitioned the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, the Federal Ministry of Justice, and the Kano State Government, urging an investigation into transactions they said spanned 17 years.