3rd Mainland Bridge: Police parade 3 suspects for vandalism

By Chukwuma Umeorah

The Lagos State Police Command yesterday, paraded three suspects arrested over the alleged vandalism of safety fittings on the Third Mainland Bridge.

The arrest followed what authorities described as real-time monitoring through newly installed surveillance cameras.

Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of Operations, Adesina Lawal, said the suspects were apprehended while removing reflective ‘cat’s-eye’ lights installed along the yellow lane markings on the bridge.

“The activity of these vandals was monitored real-time through the surveillance cameras. The control room alerted the DPO in charge of that area, who quickly mobilised his men, and they were arrested during the act,” he stated.

Officials of the Federal Ministry of Works said 156 reflective lights were stolen from the bridge before the suspects were intercepted.

Controller of Works in Lagos State, Olufemi Dare, said the incident marked the first major operational outcome from the CCTV control centre commissioned on the bridge about a week earlier.

“These criminals vandalised our cat’s-eyes reflective lights on the bridge. The Commissioner of Police alerted me that they had been arrested and that was why we quickly informed the Honourable Minister.”

Reacting, Minister of Works, David Umahi, said the arrests underscored the importance of surveillance infrastructure in protecting federal road assets. He commended the police for what he described as a prompt response.

“This has shown that the police are very much alert and that the CCTV is working. We are going to deploy the same CCTV in the majority of our roads to check vandalism, check excess speeding and help our people to travel safely,” Umahi said.

The minister said vandalism of road and bridge infrastructure had become a recurring problem nationwide, citing cases of damaged bridge parapets, removed expansion joints and theft of metal components from highways.

“It is so unfortunate and so sad that while the President is doing everything possible on our road developments, Nigerians are destroying what has been built,” Umahi said.

The minister directed the Lagos Controller of Works to provide weekly briefings and called on the police to investigate possible buyers of stolen infrastructure materials.

“We must get to the root of this and charge all culprits to court,” he said.