Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has ordered security agencies to identify and arrest those responsible for vandalising the Festac-Alakija Bridge and warned that attacks on critical infrastructure will be treated as criminal acts.
The directive came after officials from the Lagos State Office of Infrastructure inspected the bridge and reported that, despite the vandalism, its structural integrity remained intact. Governor Sanwo-Olu has also directed that remedial work be carried out immediately to secure the affected columns.
The incident has raised a fresh concern over the protection of public infrastructure in Lagos, particularly facilities whose damage could disrupt movement and expose road users to danger. The state government did not disclose in its statement what was removed or damaged on the bridge, the extent of the vandalism, or when the incident occurred.
Sanwo-Olu condemned the incident, describing vandalism of public facilities as both “barbaric and criminal”.
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He said, “Lagos will not tolerate any act of vandalism because it is barbaric and criminal.”
The governor directed security agencies to pursue those behind the incident and ensure that anyone found responsible faces the law.
He added that the state would not accept what he described as “acts of violence against our critical infrastructure and other facilities”, and urged residents to pay closer attention to public assets in their communities.
The government’s immediate priority, however, appears to be preventing the damage from becoming a wider structural problem. The Office of Infrastructure’s inspection found that the bridge’s structural integrity was still intact, according to the governor, but remedial work has been ordered to protect its columns.
That distinction is significant because vandalism of infrastructure can extend beyond the loss or removal of public property. Damage to structural components, if left unattended, can create maintenance problems and potentially increase risks for motorists and pedestrians. The state government did not state that the Festac-Alakija Bridge currently poses a structural danger.
Sanwo-Olu’s directive therefore combines two responses: a security operation aimed at identifying those responsible and an engineering intervention intended to protect the bridge from further deterioration.
The governor said those found culpable would face legal consequences. He said the incident was “horrendous, shameful and condemnable”.
The statement, signed by the Lagos State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Gbenga Omotoso, on Friday, August 7, 2026, did not disclose whether any suspects had been arrested or whether investigators had identified those responsible.
It also did not indicate the estimated cost of repairing the affected sections or say whether the bridge would experience any restriction of traffic during the remedial work.
The Festac-Alakija Bridge is an important link within the Festac and Alakija axis of Lagos, which makes the condition of the structure relevant to residents and motorists who depend on the route. Any prolonged closure or restriction would have implications for movement in the surrounding communities, although the state government has not announced any such measure.
The government instead said the remedial work would be undertaken immediately to protect the bridge’s columns.
Sanwo-Olu also appealed to Lagos residents to take a more active role in protecting public facilities; he asked them to report suspicious activities around infrastructure owned and maintained by the state.
The governor said, “Lagosians are enjoined to keep an eye on public facilities to protect them against senseless attacks.”
The call places part of the responsibility for safeguarding public infrastructure on communities, but the government’s response also puts pressure on security agencies to establish how the vandalism occurred, determine the extent of the damage and bring those responsible before the courts.
For now, the state government has confirmed that the bridge remains structurally intact following the inspection by its infrastructure officials. It has also ordered immediate remedial intervention, while security agencies have been tasked with pursuing the perpetrators.
No arrests, suspects or details of the alleged vandalism were disclosed in the statement issued by the Lagos State Government as of Friday.
