No fewer than 168 solar-powered streetlights installed along the Longbridge section of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway have been stolen by suspected vandals, findings by PUNCH Metro have revealed.
The streetlights, installed in 2025 along the approximately five-kilometre-long bridge, were meant to illuminate the busy stretch and improve the safety of motorists, particularly at night.
However, PUNCH Metro observed that the lights began disappearing gradually only months after they were installed.
During a visit to the bridge on Tuesday, several sections were found to have been stripped of their street-lighting infrastructure.
A count of the vandalised points from the OPIC end of the bridge towards Wawa showed that about 168 solar-powered streetlights had been removed.
The suspected vandals appeared to have carefully dismantled the lights, loosening the screws and nuts used to secure the poles to the bridge before removing and carting them away.
Further observations showed that while some lights had been removed at intervals, others were vandalised along stretches of up to 300 metres.
Some of the points also showed signs that the poles had been forcibly removed.
The Longbridge carries heavy vehicular traffic daily, with thousands of motorists using the route to connect Lagos with other parts of the country.
The bridge is also notorious for attacks by hoodlums, who reportedly target motorists whose vehicles break down on the bridge, particularly at night.
The installation of the streetlights was therefore expected to provide illumination and help reduce such incidents.
Motorists and business owners, however, expressed concern that the gradual disappearance of the solar-powered streetlights was returning the busy route to darkness and exposing road users to greater risks.
A motorist, who identified himself simply as Segun, said the theft appeared to have been carried out systematically.
He said, “This is very sad. The theft was carefully carried out by a number of people because no one would remove a street light in 10 minutes. So, they must have taken their time to do it.
“Now, the removal is gradually turning the place back to its former state. Darkness makes it difficult to see properly, especially when you are driving at night. You cannot easily see what is ahead of you or identify people standing by the roadside.
“It is frightening because this bridge is already known for attacks on motorists whose vehicles develop faults.”
Segun urged the relevant authorities to act quickly, warning that the continued removal of the lights could further expose motorists to criminal attacks.
A business owner at Wawa, Dade Aina, also lamented the removal of a street light near an underpass linking both sides of the area.
She said, “There used to be a street light just by the underpass, but it was also removed early this year. Since then, the place has been left dark.
“We don’t know the perpetrators, but the situation is becoming worrying. When a vehicle breaks down here at night, the driver is already vulnerable. You know Longbridge is very dangerous. If criminals can attack or kidnap people there, how much more when there are no streetlights?
“If there is no light, it becomes easier for criminals to operate without being noticed.”
PUNCH Metro further observed that the vandalism might have been carried out gradually, as some poles were found with only one nut instead of the two used to fasten them.
This suggested that the vandals might have initially loosened one nut before returning later to remove the second and eventually cart away the poles.
Another business owner, Labake Aliu, said the theft was suspected to have taken place mostly at night.
She said, “No one knows exactly when they remove them, but we suspect it is mostly done at night. Most of us close our shops by 7pm, and by the time we resume in the morning, people coming from the Longbridge direction are the ones who inform us about the latest removal.
“There is no way we can know because this is an expressway. But it is most likely done at night.”
Some police officers were previously seen occupying a makeshift post along the Longbridge inward Lagos.
Another motorist, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the disappearance of the lights remained a concern despite the presence of security personnel in the area.
He said, “The lights were installed for a reason. There used to be police officers patrolling the bridge, and some were also seen sitting at the makeshift post along the bridge.
“But it is surprising that despite their presence, the solar lights are still going missing. This is not just about the darkness; it can also increase the risk of accidents and criminal attacks.
“The authorities need to find out who is behind this and stop them before all the lights disappear.”
The motorists called for increased surveillance around the bridge and the prompt replacement of the stolen street lights.
They also urged the relevant authorities to intensify efforts to curb the activities of scavengers and other vandals targeting public infrastructure along the expressway.
The development has raised concerns about the activities of scavengers who reportedly target public infrastructure for recyclable materials and scrap.
When contacted on Wednesday, the Federal Controller of Works in Ogun State, Richard Adeleye, confirmed the theft.
He said some vandals responsible for the act had been arrested and charged to court, adding that efforts were ongoing to forestall recurrence.
“We have arrested the vandals and charged them to court. The police can confirm this. I just resumed office as the acting controller a month ago, and the arrests were made before I resumed. Meanwhile, we are putting strategy in place to stop the theft.”
Similarly, the Ogun State Police Public Relations Officer, Oluseyi Babaseyi, confirmed to PUNCH Metro on Wednesday that suspected vandals operating along the axis were arrested.
He said the suspects were arrested while allegedly vandalising critical infrastructure and had subsequently been charged to court to face the full weight of the law.
Babaseyi said the command remained committed to protecting critical infrastructure across the state, urging residents to promptly report suspicious activities to the police.
“We have arrested suspected vandals in the act within that axis and charged them to court to face the full weight of the law. The command remains resolute in protecting critical infrastructure and urges residents to promptly report suspicious activities. See something, say something. Stay safe,” he said.The development comes amid a recent incident in which unidentified scavengers allegedly vandalised the pillars supporting the bridge linking Alakija and FESTAC in Lagos State by breaking the concrete structures to remove embedded iron rods.
The spokesperson for the State Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Agency, Babatunde Akinbiyi, said efforts were ongoing to sensitise the public about vandalism and apprehend perpetrators.
He said, “It is not new; it is a recurring thing. It is being carried out by vandals. You can’t allow your selfishness to affect the generality of the people.
“We are doing what we can in terms of sensitisation so that we can reach their minds. And those who are caught in the process will be made to face the full wrath of the law.
“Because you cannot allow your own greed and obsession to affect the lives and safety of other people.”
(Punch)
