The Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, announced that closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras are being installed on the Third Mainland Bridge to prevent suicides and monitor illegal sand excavation activities.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Friday, Umahi explained that the cameras would be strategically placed beneath the bridge’s deck to detect sand excavators within a 10-kilometre radius. He added, “We have set up a security control center at the bridge’s edge, staffed by the police, navy, army, and local security. They will monitor the CCTV feeds to detect anyone attempting suicide on the bridge.”
Umahi also addressed the recent closure of the Independence Bridge in Lagos, which caused significant traffic delays. He clarified that the closure was necessary due to a structural failure of the approach slab, caused by leaking sand fill beneath it. The bridge has since been reopened after repairs were completed.
On a positive note, Umahi shared that a 30-kilometre stretch of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway will be ready for inauguration by President Bola Tinubu by May 25, 2025. He further noted that significant progress has been made, with 15 kilometres of section one already completed. By the target date, a continuous 30-kilometre section will be available for commissioning.
