The Federal Government has threatened to shut the Lagos section of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway within two weeks if motorists and other road users fail to comply with safety rules.
The Federal Controller of Works in Lagos State, Olufemi Dare, issued the warning on Monday during an inspection tour of the highway.
Dare said the directive followed concerns raised by Works Minister David Umahi over persistent safety breaches, vandalism and other illegal activities along the route.
Government warns motorists over safety breaches
Dare said, “Within two weeks, if there’s no improvement on all these issues, then we have no option than to come back and shutdown this road.”
He explained that the highway remained under construction and should ordinarily not have been opened to traffic before the completion of its bridges.
The Lagos section stretches about 103 kilometres across two sections and has 20 major bridges, several of which are still under construction.
Dare particularly warned motorists against speeding, noting that the prescribed speed limit on the highway is 30 kilometres per hour because of ongoing construction.
He said some motorists had been driving at speeds of up to 120 kilometres per hour despite the risks.
Vandalism, illegal activities raise concern
The controller also raised concerns over vandalism of safety infrastructure, illegal parking, unauthorised U-turns, hawking, animal grazing, motorcycles and tricycles along the highway.
He disclosed that about five kilometres of ClearVu fencing had been removed, while concrete covers spanning about 18 kilometres had reportedly been vandalised.
Dare said the government had the Lekki-Epe Expressway as an alternative if the coastal highway is eventually shut.
Authorities have also begun increasing police deployment along the route and are considering CCTV surveillance and additional coastal guards
