The Lagos State Public Works Corporation (LSPWC) has replaced a stolen manhole cover on Mobolaji Bank Anthony Way, Ikeja, as part of its wider campaign to restore vandalised infrastructure across the state.
The cover was removed on Saturday night by unidentified vandals, leaving an open cavity that posed a serious hazard to motorists and pedestrians. In response, the corporation provided a temporary cover and cordoned off the section before installing a permanent reinforced concrete slab with a metal cleat on Sunday.
During an inspection of the repair work, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Infrastructure, Engr. Olufemi Daramola, described the recurring theft of manhole covers as alarming and a significant threat to public safety.
“This situation is not only a major concern to government but also a public embarrassment, as vandals often return to the same manholes after reinstatement to cart away the covers for economic gains,” he said.
Daramola appealed to residents to protect public infrastructure, stressing that Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu had directed security agencies to intensify action against those he labelled “pure criminals and enemies of the state.”
General Manager of the LSPWC, Engr. Tokunbo Ajanaku, disclosed that the agency has recorded more than 4,000 cases of stolen or damaged manhole covers across the 57 Local Government Areas and Local Council Development Areas.
According to him, over 300 covers have been reinstated in the last two weeks in Lagos Island, Surulere, Eti-Osa, and Ikeja, with more replacements planned in the coming weeks.
Ajanaku noted that while the state government had experimented with alternative materials that carry no resale value in order to deter vandals, the results have been limited. He urged residents to join the fight against the menace by reporting suspicious activity.
He added that the corporation has drawn up a structured plan to restore all damaged manholes in line with the Sanwo-Olu administration’s commitment to keeping Lagos roads safe and motorable throughout the year.