The Lagos State Police Command has arrested 39 suspects in connection with various crimes, including the alleged vandalism of the newly constructed Coastal Road and Third Mainland Bridge.
The Commissioner of Police, Lagos State Command, CP Tijani Fatai, disclosed this during a press briefing on Thursday at the Command’s headquarters in Ikeja.
Fatai said the suspects were arrested during intelligence-led operations across the state, with vandalised irons and cables recovered, alongside firearms, ammunition, suspected Indian hemp and other exhibits.
Amid rising hunger and poverty, the development sparks concerns as to the sustainability of the infrastructure on the Lagos-Calabar road recently renamed after President Bola Tinubu.
“These operations have resulted in the arrest of suspects involved in stealing, robbery, vandalism, particularly on the Coastal road and Third Mainland Bridge, and other criminal activities, as well as the recovery of stolen property and dangerous weapons,” the CP said.
He listed the recovered items to include vandalised irons and cables, one truck loaded with cartons of spaghetti, one double-barrel long gun, 14 locally made pistols, one live cartridge, seven cutlasses, 16 knives, 13 bags of substances suspected to be Indian hemp, one POS machine, assorted charms and one laptop.
The police boss said 10 suspects were arrested on August 17 following investigations into the repeated vandalism of the Coastal Road infrastructure.
According to him, vandalised iron materials were recovered during the operation, while preliminary investigation indicated that the suspects were linked to the “incessant vandalism” of the road infrastructure.
The command also arrested a 28-year-old man, Chidiebere Ochiri, for allegedly vandalising and stealing government-installed CCTV camera cables, irons and other infrastructure on the Third Mainland Bridge.
Fatai said Ochiri allegedly confessed to vandalising and carting away cables connecting CCTV cameras and irons installed along the bridge and its environs.
The suspect reportedly told investigators that he had been involved in the activity for several months and sold the vandalised copper wires to scavengers and scrap dealers for about N12,000 per kilogramme.
“One quantity of copper wire was recovered as an exhibit,” the commissioner said.
He added that investigation was ongoing to apprehend Ochiri’s alleged accomplice, identify other persons involved in the vandalism and trace scrap dealers allegedly receiving the stolen materials.
The commissioner said the recent vandalism of the Third Mainland Bridge and Coastal Road was particularly concerning because the acts could undermine major government infrastructure projects.
“The Command will not allow criminals to undermine these developmental efforts.”
Fatai assured residents that the command would continue intelligence-led operations to tackle vandalism, robbery, cultism and other crimes.
He urged residents to remain vigilant and promptly report suspicious activities to the police, stressing that all suspects would be subjected to diligent investigation and those found culpable prosecuted in accordance with the law.
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