The Federal Government has raised alarm over what it describes as a wave of “massive vandalism” targeting critical infrastructure along the Lagos–Calabar Coastal Highway and key bridges in Lagos, warning that the sabotage is already contributing to flooding and threatening public safety.
Minister of Works David Umahi said the Lagos coastal corridor has become a hotspot for attacks on newly installed protective structures, despite increased security deployments. He disclosed that green barbed wire fences, connecting wire bars and other fittings designed to secure the 700‑kilometre flagship highway are being cut, stolen and destroyed, often as soon as they are installed.
According to Umahi, the vandalism is not only cosmetic but is also disrupting ongoing construction and compromising safety around restricted work zones. He said people routinely breach barricades and enter areas where only engineers and authorised personnel should be, damaging completed sections of the 12‑metre‑wide carriageway.
Umahi also linked recent flooding on parts of the coastal highway to blocked underground drainage channels. He said manholes and stormwater conduits have been turned into refuse pits, preventing water from flowing freely and causing it to back up onto the road surface.
“When those channels are blocked, water has nowhere to go,” he explained, adding that the same pattern is responsible for flooding in many parts of Lagos. He urged residents to stop dumping waste into drains and to see the highway as a shared national asset.
Beyond the coastal project, the minister expressed deep concern over the condition of major Lagos bridges, including the Third Mainland and Carter bridges. He revealed that expert assessments have recommended the eventual demolition and reconstruction of Carter Bridge, citing damage worsened by illegal sand mining around its foundations. Temporary strengthening works are being carried out to keep it in service for only a few more years.
Umahi listed other forms of vandalism nationwide, such as the theft of expansion joints on bridges and reinforced concrete barriers on key highways. He said CCTV cameras recently installed on the Third Mainland Bridge have already helped security agencies identify and arrest suspects removing critical components for sale as scrap.
He warned that repeated vandalism and abuse of infrastructure, including parking heavy trucks on bridges, will shorten the lifespan of projects and drain scarce public funds, stressing that citizens must share responsibility for protecting federal assets.
