The Federal Government has issued a two-week ultimatum to motorists and road users on the Lagos section of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway to comply with safety regulations. The Federal Controller of Works in Lagos State, Olufemi Dare, gave the warning during an inspection of the highway, citing concerns over dangerous speeding, vandalism, and illegal parking. The directive follows concerns raised by the Minister of Works, David Umahi, over persistent safety violations.
The Lagos section of the coastal highway remains under construction and should not have been opened to traffic before the completion of some bridges. Motorists are expected to observe a maximum speed limit of 30 kilometres per hour, particularly around construction zones. However, some motorists have been driving at speeds of up to 120 kilometres per hour on sections where bridge and construction works are ongoing. The government is also concerned about reports of deaths on the highway.
Articulated vehicle operators have been cautioned against parking trucks and trailers along the route, while motorists have been warned against creating or using illegal U-turn points. Anyone arrested for creating or using unauthorised U-turns will be prosecuted. Commercial motorcycles, tricycles, hawking, and animal grazing have been prohibited along the highway. The government will also remove shanties and other illegal structures along the highway.
The government has reached an agreement with the Lagos State Police Command to increase police deployment along the route. This decision follows meetings between Umahi and the state Commissioner of Police, Fatai Tijani. The police deployment is expected to improve security and prevent further safety violations. The government is also considering replacing steel ClearVu fencing with concrete barriers in vulnerable areas.
Vandalism of safety infrastructure has been identified as a major challenge, with about five kilometres of ClearVu fencing removed and approximately 18 kilometres of concrete covers vandalised and taken away. The government plans to deploy CCTV cameras along the highway to strengthen surveillance. This move aims to prevent further vandalism and ensure the safety of road users.
The government has approved the recruitment of 40 coastal guards for Section 1 of the highway, with four personnel to be drawn from each community along the route. The guards will work alongside the police to provide community-level surveillance. Additional personnel will be recruited for Section 2. Some previously engaged coastal guards have been attacked by vandals, making stronger police protection necessary.
The Lagos section of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway stretches about 103 kilometres and comprises two sections: Section 1, covering approximately 47 kilometres, and Section 2, covering about 56 kilometres. The two sections have 20 major bridges, with 10 bridges in each section, several of which are still under construction. Motorists have the Lekki-Epe Expressway as an alternative route if the government is forced to shut the coastal highway.
Key points
- The Federal Government has given motorists two weeks to comply with safety regulations on the Lagos-Calabar highway.
- The government plans to deploy CCTV cameras along the highway to strengthen surveillance.
- The recruitment of 40 coastal guards has been approved to provide community-level surveillance.
