The Lagos State Police Command has arrested 10 suspects allegedly involved in the repeated vandalism and theft of public infrastructure along the newly constructed Lagos Coastal Road.
The suspects were arrested on August 17, 2026, following intelligence-led investigations into the destruction and theft of infrastructure along the road.
Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Fatai Tijani, disclosed this on Wednesday during a press briefing and parade of suspects at the command headquarters in Ikeja.
Tijani said vandalised iron materials were recovered during the operation, adding that preliminary investigations had linked the suspects to the alleged offences.
The suspects were identified as Courage Ogbemudiah, 19; Michael Janes, 25; Muhammed Mustapha, 25; Muyideen Ola, 32; Emmanuel James, 18; Tadious Nanius, 28; Anthony Nucase, 23; Makinde Muize, 30; Bolaji Raji, 30; and Waliu Kabiru, 28.
According to the police commissioner, the suspects had also made statements concerning their alleged involvement in the vandalism.
He said the command was working with relevant authorities to ensure that those responsible for the continued destruction and theft of public infrastructure were brought to justice.
In a related case, Tijani disclosed the arrest of a 28-year-old man, Chidiebere Ochiri, over the alleged vandalism and theft of government-installed CCTV camera cables, iron materials and other infrastructure on the Third Mainland Bridge.
The police boss said Ochiri confessed during interrogation to vandalising and removing cables connected to CCTV cameras, as well as iron materials installed on the bridge and its environs.
According to Tijani, the suspect claimed he had been involved in the activity for several months and usually sold the stolen copper wires to scavengers and scrap dealers for about N12,000 per kilogramme.
One quantity of copper wire was recovered as an exhibit, while investigations are continuing to apprehend the suspect’s alleged accomplice.
Meanwhile, the Federal Controller of Works in Lagos, Olufemi Dare, who represented the Minister of Works and Housing, Dave Umahi, disclosed the extent of damage caused by vandals along the Coastal Road.
Dare said at least 1,800 manhole covers had been stolen from the road between January and August 2026.
He explained that the covers were part of the underground drainage system constructed along the highway, adding that vandals typically break the concrete covers to remove the reinforcing iron embedded inside them.
The Federal Controller further disclosed that about 1,000 metres, equivalent to one kilometre, of clear-view fencing installed along both sides of the road had also been vandalised and removed.
He said the fencing was designed to separate the highway from surrounding communities.
Dare also revealed that about 75 directional signs installed along the road had been cut down and stolen.
He expressed concern that the scale of the vandalism was undermining the purpose of the newly constructed road and threatening the project’s huge investment.
Dare said the federal government was investing trillions of naira in the coastal road project stretching from Lagos towards Calabar and would not allow criminal elements to undermine the infrastructure.
He commended the Lagos State Police Command for deploying personnel and vehicles to protect the road and assist in apprehending those involved in the vandalism.
The Federal Controller said security personnel were being deployed day and night along the road in collaboration with the relevant authorities to curb further destruction.
