Works Minister David Umahi has raised serious concerns over massive and persistent vandalism of critical infrastructure projects across the country.

Addressing a news conference on Thursday in Abuja, Mr Umahi warned that the destruction threatened the sustainability of Nigeria’s road and bridge network.

He said the ministry was compelled to address the growing incidents of sabotage, particularly along the Lagos coastal highway and major bridges nationwide.

According to the minister, infrastructure along the coastal route in Lagos has been repeatedly targeted by vandals despite ongoing efforts to secure the area.

He disclosed that during a recent visit to Lagos, he observed extensive break-ins and destruction of protective installations.

The minister thanked Lagos Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and security agencies for deploying personnel within the coastal route to check vandalism.

“I want the public to go and see the things we have done to protect the coastal route being destroyed by people,” he said. “The green barbed wire we put up to expose the beauty of the coastal route in a number of sections is being cut and taken by people.”

Mr Umahi said the Shagamu–Owode road project was designed with a 12-metre width, but only nine metres had been paved so far, leaving three metres yet to be completed.

He explained that a connecting steel barrier, commonly called wire bars, had been installed along the unfinished section, but pedestrians continued to cross through it.

Mr Umahi also spoke on the removal of the green barbed wire previously installed along parts of the coastal highway, saying it was meant to secure and beautify the corridor.

Addressing recent flooding along the coastal highway, the minister attributed the problem to blocked underground drainage systems.

He blamed indiscriminate waste disposal, stating, “refuse dumped into manholes blocks water channels and contributes to flooding in parts of Lagos.

“The flooding occurred because our underground channels are blocked with refuse. People dump their daily waste inside manholes. The public has a duty to protect public assets.”

The minister emphasised that while the Ministry of Works was committed to delivering value for money, no human endeavour was perfect.

Mr Umahi commended President Bola Tinubu for introducing reinforced concrete technology in road construction.

He said the move would ensure that newly constructed roads lasted 50 to 100 years, unlike many older roads that failed within a decade.

The minister also warned against the dangers of heavy trucks parking on bridges, stressing that bridges were not designed to withstand static loads.

He revealed that serious structural issues had emerged on the Third Mainland Bridge and the Carter Bridge in Lagos, with the latter requiring eventual demolition following expert assessments.

Mr Umahi, however, disclosed that temporary measures were being implemented to extend its usability for another three years pending reconstruction.

The minister attributed much of the damage to illegal sand mining activities around bridge foundations.

He explained that many bridge piles relied on steel friction supported by surrounding sand, and illegal sand excavation had compromised their stability.

Mr Umahi listed other acts of vandalism as the removal of electrical installations, expansion joints, and reinforced concrete barriers on major highways, including the Abuja–Kaduna–Zaria–Kano road and the Second Niger Bridge.

He noted that CCTV systems recently installed on the Third Mainland Bridge, at the president’s directive, had aided security agencies in apprehending suspects involved in theft and sabotage.

“It is done all over the world to install protective and relief materials on bridges to reduce pressure. But people remove them to sell as scrap,” he lamented.

Mr Umahi urged Nigerians to take collective responsibility for safeguarding public infrastructure, warning that repeated repairs due to vandalism strain public finances and slow development.

(NAN)