Minister of Works David Umahi has urged the governors of Anambra and Delta states to closely monitor scrap markets in their states to prevent further vandalism of the First Niger Bridge. Umahi made the call during an inspection of ongoing rehabilitation works at the Onitsha end of the bridge on Wednesday.

The minister said vandals had removed critical components of the bridge, including bolts, nuts and parts of the expansion-joint steelwork, forcing the Federal Government to spend significant resources replacing the damaged infrastructure. The bridge was closed to traffic earlier in September for emergency rehabilitation, with the closure later extended by one week because of persistent rainfall.

Umahi also directed that CCTV cameras be completed and linked to the Second Niger Bridge to strengthen surveillance. He further reiterated a ban on illegal sand dredging around the bridge and called on residents to report suspected acts of vandalism to security agencies. The minister said the First Niger Bridge would not be reopened until the necessary structural rehabilitation works had been completed.

The minister commended the contractor, SKECC, for replacing the vandalised bolts and installing the newly manufactured expansion joint. Additional works, including repainting, solar-powered streetlights and removal of illegal advertisements, have also been ordered. The Federal Government says the bridge is expected to reopen next week, subject to completion of the required rehabilitation work.