No fewer than 168 solar-powered streetlights installed along the Longbridge section of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway have been removed by suspected vandals, findings by PUNCH Metro have revealed. A count of vandalised points from the OPIC end of the bridge toward Wawa showed that the missing infrastructure spans several sections of the busy route.

The suspected vandals appeared to have carefully dismantled the installations, loosening the screws and nuts securing the poles before taking them away. While some of the lights were removed at intervals, others were stripped from continuous stretches measuring up to 300 metres, leaving portions of the bridge without the solar lighting provided for motorists.

The scale of the vandalism has raised concerns about safety on the expressway, particularly along sections that may become poorly illuminated at night. The Longbridge is an important part of the Lagos-Ibadan route and is regularly used by motorists travelling between Lagos and Ogun State.

The theft also highlights the continuing problem of vandalism targeting public infrastructure. The removal of the streetlights could further affect visibility and security for road users, while authorities face the task of identifying those responsible and preventing additional damage to installations along the expressway.