Lagos Police Uncover Vandals’ Tunnel Along Coastal Highway, Arrest 39 Suspects
The Lagos State Police Command has uncovered a tunnel allegedly used by suspected vandals to conceal stolen infrastructure materials along the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway.
The discovery was made during an intelligence-led operation targeting the growing vandalism of public infrastructure in the state. Police authorities said the operation also led to the recovery of vandalised iron materials and the arrest of 10 suspects linked to attacks on the coastal highway.
The development was disclosed at a joint briefing involving the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, CP Tijani Fatai, and officials of the Federal Ministry of Works.
Representing the Minister of Works, David Umahi, the Federal Controller of Works in Lagos, Olufemi Dare, said vandals had stolen about 1,800 concrete manhole covers, one kilometre of Clear View security fencing and 75 directional road signs from the coastal highway between January and August.
According to him, the criminals reportedly broke the concrete manhole covers to extract the reinforcing iron embedded in them, while sections of the security fencing and road signs were also removed.
Dare said the discovery of the underground tunnel demonstrated the extent to which criminal elements had infiltrated the construction corridor, with the facility allegedly being used as a storage point for materials removed from the project.
He conveyed the Federal Government’s commendation to the Lagos Police Command and officers deployed to protect the coastal highway, saying the government had intensified efforts to prevent further attacks on the multi-billion-naira project.
The Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway is a 700-kilometre federal road project designed to connect several coastal states and improve transportation, connectivity and economic activities along the corridor.
Speaking on the arrests, Fatai said 10 suspects were apprehended on August 17 following sustained intelligence operations over repeated acts of vandalism along the highway.
He said vandalised iron materials were recovered from the suspects, who had also made statements to investigators regarding their alleged involvement.
The police commissioner disclosed that the crackdown extended to the Third Mainland Bridge, where a 28-year-old suspect, Chidiebere Ochiri, was arrested for allegedly stealing government-installed CCTV cables, copper wires and iron fittings.
According to the police, Ochiri allegedly admitted to vandalising the bridge infrastructure over several months and selling the recovered copper wires to scavengers and scrap dealers. A quantity of copper wire was recovered, while efforts were ongoing to apprehend an alleged accomplice and identify other persons linked to the stolen materials.
Fatai said the operations formed part of a wider August security offensive by the command, which resulted in the arrest of 39 suspects for alleged offences including vandalism, stealing, robbery and cultism.
The police said several items were recovered during the operations, including locally made firearms, ammunition, cutlasses, knives, suspected Indian hemp, a POS machine, assorted charms, a laptop and a truck allegedly loaded with diverted cartons of spaghetti.
The command also reported arrests linked to alleged robbery and cult activities in different parts of Lagos, including Aguda, Surulere, Isolo and Ijeshatedo.
Fatai warned that the police would continue to target individuals and groups involved in the destruction of public infrastructure, stressing that the command would not allow criminals to undermine major development projects in the state.
He also called on residents living around major government projects to promptly report suspicious activities to security agencies.
The commissioner assured that all 39 suspects would undergo thorough investigations and that anyone found culpable would be prosecuted in accordance with the law.
He added that the police would sustain collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Works and other relevant stakeholders to strengthen security around the Coastal Highway, bridges and other critical infrastructure across Lagos.
