The Longbridge section of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway is again experiencing widespread darkness after more solar-powered streetlights installed along the bridge were removed.
The latest development follows an earlier report that 168 solar-powered streetlights had been vandalised and taken away from the approximately five-kilometre bridge.
A fresh inspection of the route showed that more lights had disappeared, leaving only a small number of installations standing. At one point, only about 20 streetlights were still visible roughly three kilometres into the bridge.
The Longbridge connects the Warewa area with the OPIC/Kara end of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway and is surrounded by communities including Arepo, Warewa, Banku, Mokore, Arigbede and Magboro.
Residents said the continued removal of the lights was creating serious concerns, particularly at night when most parts of the bridge are now poorly lit.
The bridge has previously been identified as a security-sensitive location, with reports of motorists being attacked when their vehicles break down on the highway after dark.
Residents fear that the return of darkness could expose stranded motorists to greater risks and are calling for urgent action to protect the remaining infrastructure.
The Federal Controller of Works in Ogun State, Michael Komolafe, expressed concern over the latest vandalism, saying he had previously been informed about police patrols on the bridge.
He said the police patrol vehicle deployed to the area was involved in an accident, with one officer subsequently hospitalised, a situation he suggested may have created an opportunity for vandals to continue removing the streetlights.
Komolafe said there was currently no confirmed directive for replacing the vandalised lights, adding that any replacement programme would need to include measures to prevent the infrastructure from being stolen again.
The Federal Works official also said the extent of the vandalism showed that the perpetrators were becoming increasingly bold.
Authorities are therefore faced with the task of protecting the remaining streetlights, addressing security concerns on the bridge and finding a sustainable way to restore lighting along the major expressway corridor.