No fewer than 168 solar-powered streetlights installed along the Longbridge section of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway have been stolen by suspected vandals.
The streetlights were installed in 2025 along the approximately five-kilometre bridge to illuminate the busy corridor and improve the safety of motorists, particularly at night.
However, several sections of the bridge have reportedly been stripped of their lighting infrastructure, with the theft said to have occurred gradually months after the installation.
An inspection of the bridge showed that about 168 streetlights had been removed from the section stretching from the OPIC end towards Wawa.
The suspected vandals appeared to have systematically dismantled the lights by loosening the screws and nuts securing the poles before removing and carting them away. In some sections, streetlights were missing at intervals, while others had been removed along stretches of up to 300 metres.
The Longbridge carries heavy traffic daily and has also been associated with attacks on motorists whose vehicles break down, particularly at night. The removal of the streetlights has therefore raised concerns about increased security and accident risks.
A motorist, Segun, described the theft as worrying, saying the darkness could make it difficult for motorists to see clearly and identify people around the bridge at night.
A business owner in Wawa, Dade Aina, also expressed concern over the removal of a streetlight near an underpass, saying the area had become increasingly dark and vulnerable to criminal activity.
Another business owner, Labake Aliu, said the vandalism was suspected to occur mainly at night, with residents often discovering that more lights had disappeared by the following morning.
Motorists and business owners called for increased surveillance, the replacement of the stolen lights and stronger measures to prevent further vandalism of public infrastructure.
The Federal Controller of Works in Ogun State, Richard Adeleye, confirmed the theft and disclosed that some suspects had been arrested and charged to court.
He said efforts were underway to develop strategies to prevent further vandalism along the corridor.
The Ogun State Police Public Relations Officer, Oluseyi Babaseyi, also confirmed the arrest of suspected vandals operating along the axis.
Babaseyi said the suspects were allegedly caught vandalising critical infrastructure and had been charged to court. He urged residents to report suspicious activities to the police.
The development comes amid growing concerns over the vandalism of public infrastructure, including a recent incident in which suspected scavengers allegedly damaged the concrete pillars of the bridge linking Alakija and FESTAC in Lagos while removing embedded iron rods.
Authorities have urged members of the public to remain vigilant and support efforts to protect critical infrastructure from vandals and scavengers.