In a sweeping move to enhance public safety and deter tragic incidents on one of Nigeria’s busiest expressways, the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has installed advanced closed-circuit television (CCTV) surveillance systems on the iconic Third Mainland Bridge in Lagos.
Disclosing this in an interview on Channels Television on Friday, the Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, revealed that the surveillance initiative is not just aimed at monitoring security threats but is also strategically designed to detect and prevent suicide attempts — a growing concern on the bridge in recent years.
“We have mounted CCTVs underneath the deck to monitor any unauthorized sand excavation activities within a 10-kilometre radius,” Umahi stated. “But more importantly, we’ve constructed an examination facility on the shoreline of the Third Mainland Bridge, manned by personnel from the police, navy, army, and local security forces. They will all be on ground watching live feeds from the CCTV cameras.”
According to Umahi, this 24-hour surveillance strategy will make it nearly impossible for anyone to approach the bridge unnoticed, especially those attempting to take their own lives. “With this technology in place, we can now identify and respond swiftly to suicide attempts and illegal excavation activities beneath the bridge, which have long threatened its structural integrity,” he added.
The Works Minister also addressed recent concerns about the temporary closure and subsequent reopening of the Independence Bridge in Lagos. He clarified that the closure was prompted by a critical structural defect involving the approach slab — a flaw resulting from both an inappropriate cantilever construction method and sand erosion beneath the slab.
“That slab was not suitable for the location due to its cantilever design. The erosion of the sand supporting it caused the collapse. We’re now rectifying the issue with a more sustainable engineering solution,” Umahi said.
In a related development, the minister gave a promising update on the high-profile Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway project. He noted significant progress and announced that a key segment of the road will be ready for inauguration by President Tinubu on May 25, 2025.
“As of today, the beginning of section one has achieved about 15 kilometres on dual carriageways, and by the endpoint at Eleko, we have completed around 5 kilometres,” he disclosed. “Our target is to deliver 30 kilometres of continuous roadway for commissioning from kilometre 0 to 20 by May 25.”
With these infrastructure upgrades and proactive safety measures, the Tinubu administration appears determined to modernize Nigeria’s transportation arteries while addressing the emotional and security vulnerabilities that have plagued public spaces like the Third Mainland Bridge.
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