LAGOS-IBADAN LONGBRIDGE PLUNGED INTO DARKNESS AS STREETLIGHTS DISAPPEAR
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By: Aminat Tajudeen
Darkness has returned to the Longbridge section of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway following the disappearance of more solar-powered streetlights installed along the approximately five-kilometre bridge, The press reports.
The development comes weeks after the press reported that at least 168 solar-powered streetlights had been removed from the bridge by suspected vandals.
However, a follow-up visit to the bridge on Monday revealed that more of the remaining streetlights had also been removed, leaving only a few installations along the route.
The Longbridge runs from the Warewa end of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway to the OPIC/Kara end of the highway.
During the earlier visit, several streetlights were found to have been gradually dismantled just months after their installation in 2025. A count of the vandalised points from the OPIC end towards Warewa showed that about 168 solar-powered streetlights had been removed.
The suspected vandals appeared to have carefully dismantled the installations by loosening the screws and nuts holding the poles to the bridge before carting them away.
While some sections had individual lights removed at intervals, other stretches of up to 300 metres were completely stripped of the installations. Signs of forced removal were also observed at some locations.
However, Monday’s inspection showed that the vandalism had continued. Only about 20 streetlights were still standing roughly three kilometres into the bridge, with a few others remaining around both ends.
The bridge is surrounded by host communities, including Arepo, Warewa, Banku, Mokore, Arigbede and Magboro.
A resident, Aminat Adio, said the removal of the streetlights had continued despite concerns raised over the vandalism, urging the authorities to investigate the situation.
Another resident, Bolu Adeogun, said the suspected vandals appeared to be exploiting the limited pedestrian activity along the highway. He noted that most of the lights at both ends of the bridge remained intact because those areas experience more human movement.
At night, large portions of the bridge are now left in darkness.
The Longbridge has previously been identified as a security concern, with reports of hoodlums attacking motorists whose vehicles break down on the highway, particularly at night.
A resident, who identified himself as Moses, expressed concern that the return of darkness could worsen security challenges on the bridge, recalling previous incidents of robbery, kidnapping and attacks on stranded motorists.
Following the earlier report, police operatives were observed at a makeshift post provided for them on the bridge.
The Federal Controller of Works in Ogun State, Michael Komolafe, had previously disclosed that some suspected vandals were arrested before he assumed office.
When contacted on Monday, Komolafe said he was unaware that additional streetlights had been removed but expressed concern over the development.
He said he had earlier met with police officers stationed at the location, adding that the Divisional Police Officer had assured him that regular patrols were being conducted on the bridge.
According to Komolafe, however, the DPO later informed him that a police patrol vehicle had been involved in an accident, leaving one officer hospitalised.
He suggested that the incident may have affected police patrols and created an opportunity for vandals to continue removing the streetlights.
On the vandalism of the streetlights and other infrastructure, Komolafe expressed concern over the extent of the damage, saying the perpetrators appeared to be becoming increasingly emboldened.
He added that no immediate plan had been confirmed for the replacement of the vandalised streetlights, noting that any replacement effort would need to be accompanied by adequate measures to prevent further vandalism.
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