Over 160 Solar Streetlights Stolen Along Lagos-Ibadan Expressway Longbridge as Security Agencies Arrest Vandals

Suspected vandals have stolen at least 168 solar-powered streetlights along the five-kilometer Longbridge stretch of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, plunging key sections of the critical corridor back into darkness and heightening safety concerns for motorists.

The solar infrastructure, installed in 2025 to improve visibility and curb nocturnal crime on the notoriously vulnerable bridge, has been systematically dismantled over several months. A site inspection revealed extensive destruction, with entire 300-meter stretches stripped of light poles, leaving road users exposed to potential breakdown attacks by hoodlums.

Local business owners and regular commuters expressed alarm over the development, noting that the perpetrators appeared to operate methodically under the cover of night, loosening mounting bolts before returning to cart away the steel structures and solar components.

Addressing the situation, officials from both the Ministry of Works and the police confirmed that law enforcement has made key arrests related to the infrastructure theft along the corridor.

Acting Ogun State Federal Controller of Works, Richard Adeleye, confirmed the ongoing vandalism, stating that security agencies had previously apprehended several suspects who have since been charged to court. He assured the public that measures are being put in place to prevent further theft.

Similarly, Ogun State Police Public Relations Officer Oluseyi Babaseyi stated that officers caught suspected vandals in the act along the expressway axis. He emphasized that the command remains committed to safeguarding public infrastructure and urged residents to report suspicious nocturnal activity.

Officials from the State Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Agency (TRACE) also condemned the actions of scavengers and vandals targeting essential civic installations, warning that offenders would face the full weight of the law.

Commuters and commercial operators along the route continue to call for heightened night patrols and the urgent replacement of the stolen lighting units to restore security on the high-volume highway.