The Minister of Works, David Umahi, has condemned the vandalism of road infrastructure across the country, describing the destruction of public assets as “devilish”, “wicked” and unacceptable.
Umahi spoke on Sunday during a press conference and stakeholders’ engagement on the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway in Lagos, where he also flagged off repair works on the Eko Bridge and Marine Bridge.
The minister urged Nigerians to join the government in protecting public infrastructure, noting that the President, ministers and state governors could not be everywhere to monitor national assets.
“It is very disheartening to know that these people, the efforts they are putting in to destroy national assets, if they put it on labour work in Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, if they put it in all the construction sites of the state government and Federal Government, they will put in less effort, and they will make more money,” he said.
Umahi described the vandalism as an act of wickedness and appealed to Nigerians to take collective responsibility for protecting public infrastructure.
“So, it’s devilish, it’s wickedness, and it’s unacceptable. The President cannot be everywhere; he is not a spirit. The minister cannot be everywhere; governors cannot be everywhere, so we have to come together to protect our national assets.
“When these roads are built under the President, they will last for 100 years. But when the roads are excavated and removed, we will be back to square one, and God will not allow it,” he added.
His remarks followed the recent vandalism of sections of the newly constructed Festac-Alakija Bridge, where suspected scavengers reportedly broke into parts of the structure in an attempt to remove embedded iron rods and other metal components.
The Lagos State Government has arrested 27 suspects in connection with the incident following a joint operation by security and enforcement agencies.
Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, who inspected the affected sections of the bridge on Saturday alongside engineers and contractors, assured residents that the structure remained safe, sound and open to traffic.
Sanwo-Olu also ordered immediate reinforcement and repairs and warned that those involved in the vandalism, as well as individuals purchasing stolen government property, would face the full force of the law.
Umahi also raised concerns over activities along sections of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, particularly the removal of construction materials and illegal occupation of the road corridor.
“We have had very terrible, unpatriotic elements removing the blocks, breaking the fence, removing the rods and treading on the highway. This must stop,” he said.
The minister directed the Works Controller in Lagos to ensure that motorcycles, tricycles, hawkers and other unauthorised activities were kept off the coastal highway.
“Their job is that no keke on the coastal highway, no motorcycle on the coastal highway, and no loitering. There is no superhighway all over the country where you see people loitering,” Umahi said.
He added, “Last night, we were there with the National Assembly members by 11 pm; people were sleeping on the coastal highway. It must stop. No hawking, no occupation illegally along the entire coast.”
Umahi also called on the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps to strengthen its efforts to protect strategic national infrastructure and prevent further vandalism of public assets.
