The Federal Ministry of Works has dismissed reports that scavengers were vandalising the Alakija Interchange Bridge along the Lagos-Badagry corridor, saying the structures shown in a viral video were part of an ongoing engineering process.
A delegation from the ministry, acting on the directive of the Minister of Works, Sen. Dave Umahi, inspected the bridge on Saturday alongside officials of the Lagos State Ministry of Works and Infrastructure and other stakeholders. The inspection followed social media reports alleging that reinforcement materials were being removed from the bridge.
An official of the Lagos State Ministry of Works and Infrastructure, Balogun Abdurrahman, explained that the structures mistaken for damaged bridge columns were piles undergoing preparation for jacketing, an engineering process designed to strengthen and protect them. He said their rough surfaces were normal because the piles were originally designed to remain below ground level.
Balogun said the contractor was already on site and expected to commence the jacketing work in the coming week. He added that one of the piles had already been jacketed, stressing that there was no evidence of vandalism at the site.
The Director of Bridges and Design at the Federal Ministry of Works, Musa Saidu, said the minister ordered the inspection after receiving reports that scavengers were removing bridge reinforcement. He confirmed that the team found no evidence of such activity but warned residents against living or carrying out activities underneath bridges because of the risk of damage and fire incidents.
The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Community Engagements, South-West, Moremi Ojudu, said citizens’ complaints and videos had prompted the government to verify the situation. She urged Lagos residents to protect public infrastructure, keep their surroundings clean and avoid using bridges as places of habitation.
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