Safety Breaches: FG Threatens Shutdown of Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway

The Federal Government has threatened to shut down the Lagos section of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway within two weeks if motorists and other road users fail to comply with safety regulations and other directives aimed at reducing violations on the highway.

The Federal Controller of Works in Lagos State, Olufemi Dare, issued the warning on Monday during a press briefing on the persistent safety and security challenges along the highway.

Dare said the Minister of Works, David Umahi, had directed the ministry to return to the highway and close it if there was no significant improvement in compliance within the next two weeks.

He said the government could no longer tolerate dangerous practices such as overspeeding, illegal parking by trucks and articulated vehicles, illegal U-turns, the use of motorcycles and tricycles, roadside trading and other activities capable of endangering lives or damaging infrastructure.

According to Dare, the Lagos section of the coastal highway consists of two sections measuring 47.474 kilometres and 56 kilometres respectively, bringing the total length within Lagos State to about 103 kilometres.

He explained that construction work was still ongoing, particularly on bridges, with 10 major bridges planned for each of the two sections.

Dare noted that the road would ordinarily not have been opened to traffic before completion of the bridges but said motorists were already using the highway.

He expressed concern over motorists driving at speeds of up to 120km/h on sections where construction activities were still ongoing, despite a posted speed limit of 30km/h.

He said the authorities had recorded fatalities on the highway and urged motorists to strictly observe the speed limit.

“Lives are being lost on the coastal road. Almost every other day,” Dare said.

He also disclosed that the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Fatai Tijani, had increased police deployment along the highway following meetings with the Works Minister.

Dare warned that trucks and articulated vehicles parked illegally on the highway would be towed away, while motorists involved in illegal U-turns would face enforcement action and possible prosecution.

He added that motorcycles, tricycles and similar vehicles had been banned from the coastal highway, noting that more than 100 motorcycle riders were arrested on the road the previous week.

Beyond traffic violations, the controller raised concerns over the continued vandalism of infrastructure along the highway.

He disclosed that at least five kilometres of clear-view fencing had been removed, while drainage covers covering about 18 kilometres had also been vandalised and taken away.

According to him, the perpetrators often operated at night despite police patrols, while directional signs and other installations had also been vandalised.

Dare said the ministry was considering replacing the clear-view fencing with block walls in areas where vandalism remained persistent.

He explained that the government was considering the change because some newly installed fencing was being removed within days.

The controller also announced plans to tackle illegal settlements, hawking and animal grazing along the highway.

He said at least 10 illegal settlements had been identified for removal, while the installation of CCTV cameras was being considered to strengthen surveillance along the route.

The government has also approved the deployment of 40 coastal guards for the first section of the highway.

According to Dare, the guards will be nominated by communities along the route and will work in collaboration with the police.

He said the recruitment and deployment of the guards would be completed within two weeks.

Meanwhile, Dare warned truck operators using the Gypsy Port area as a parking facility that a joint task force would move in during the week to clear the vehicles.

He said the ministry had already engaged the operators and warned them against turning the area into a permanent truck park.

Dare said the first section of the road itself was 100 per cent completed, although bridge construction was still ongoing.

He added that the project remained within its three-year contractual period and expressed confidence that the outstanding works would be completed within the agreed timeframe.

The controller urged Lagos residents, motorists and other highway users to comply with the government’s directives, warning that enforcement would be intensified.
He said, “It’s not going to be business as usual.”

In January, Works Minister David Umahi had also warned that the Federal Government could close the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway if safety concerns were not addressed.

Umahi had disclosed that a construction worker died at Section One of the highway and said the ministry had previously considered closing the road in December.

However, he said President Bola Tinubu directed that the highway remain open to help ease traffic congestion.

Join us on our WhatsApp Platform @KOIKIMEDIA NEWS YOUR PAGE

Koikimedia Bringing the World 🌎 Closer to Your Doorstep