• It is barbaric, criminal — Lagos govt
• 27 arrested, Sanwo-Olu orders probe
• Govt. directs removal of people living under bridges
Lagos State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on Friday ordered an investigation into the vandalism of vital bridge infrastructure in the state following revelations that scavengers were stripping iron bars from bridge pillars.
The development has raised concerns over the safety of bridges and the danger posed to motorists and other road users by the activities of vandals who remove structural materials for sale as scrap metal.
A viral video seen by Saturday Tribune showed extensive damage to a bridge linking Alakija to FESTAC, where vandals had broken into parts of the pillars and removed reinforcing steel bars embedded in the concrete.
The exposed portions of the pillars showed the extent to which the structure had been attacked, prompting concerns about the possible consequences of continued vandalism of public infrastructure.
Following the development, Sanwo-Olu ordered a probe into the incident and directed security agencies to identify and arrest those responsible.
The governor also directed the appropriate authorities and security agencies to clear people living under bridges across the state, as part of measures to protect the structures and prevent their surroundings from becoming bases for criminal activities.
Lagos State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr Gbenga Omotoso, who disclosed the measures to Saturday Tribune on Friday, condemned the vandalism as “barbaric, criminal and uncivilised.”
Omotoso said bridges were critical public infrastructure and their surroundings could not be allowed to become residential settlements or havens for people who might threaten their safety.
“The bridges are not residential homes, and no one should be found living there,” he said.
According to him, the state government had watched the viral video showing the destruction and would ensure that those responsible were brought to justice.
“We have watched the video of the unfortunate destruction of that bridge. It is barbaric, criminal and uncivilised. That is not the kind of thing that should be happening in Lagos.
“It is clear that those behind this dastardly act are not decent people. They are the sort of persons who should not be in Lagos. The governor has ordered a probe and the arrest of the perpetrators.
“The full weight of the law will be visited on those who did it,” Omotoso said.
The commissioner disclosed that the government had already carried out clearance operations under bridges in parts of the state and was extending the exercise to other locations.
“We have cleared the under bridges in Obalende and Ojora. Lagos-Badagry axis is being cleared of miscreants. We are extending the clean-up to all other bridges in Lagos. It is a security matter,” he said.
The Lagos State Government said it has arrested 27 persons in connection with the vandalism.
Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, disclosed the arrests in a post on X on Friday following a midnight enforcement operation beneath the bridge.
“Investigations revealed that suspected hoodlums had deliberately vandalised critical structural components of the bridge by removing iron rods, steel reinforcements, cables, and other supporting materials essential to the integrity of the infrastructure,” he said.
The latest incident has brought renewed attention to the vulnerability of public infrastructure to vandals and scavengers who target metal components for their scrap value.
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Beyond the cost of replacing stolen materials and repairing damaged infrastructure, attacks on reinforcing steel embedded in bridge pillars could raise questions about the continued integrity of affected structures and the need for prompt technical assessment.
The government’s probe is expected to establish the extent of the damage to the bridge in the video, identify those responsible and determine whether other bridges in the state have suffered similar attacks.
Omotoso appealed to residents to remain vigilant and regard the protection of public infrastructure as a collective responsibility.
He urged Lagosians who notice suspicious activities around bridges and other government infrastructure to immediately alert security agencies, saying vandalism of such facilities endangered not only government property but also the lives of people who use them.
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