There are unconfirmed reports that some road fittings installed on the newly commissioned Second Niger Bridge have been stolen by vandals.
Punch in an exclusive report revealed that a source in the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing, on Wednesday, confirmed the theft, saying that the expansion joint walkway on axis 330 of the bridge had been stolen.
This is coming barely 7 weeks after former President Muhammadu Buhari inaugurated the bridge and 6 other legacy projects completed by the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing in the twilight of his administration.
Motorists should be careful
The source said, “Unfortunately, It’s true. The stolen fitting is an element from the expansion joints of the bridge. Drivers on that road have to be careful as the damaged part can cause discomfort to motorists.”
Another source who corroborated the report said that supervising engineers are not happy about the development.
However, there is no official confirmation of the development by the Federal Government or any of its officials.
What you should know
Recall that on May 23, 2023, former President Buhari, had in a virtual ceremony, commissioned the N336 billion Second Niger Bridge and 6 other legacy projects completed by the Federal Government after several delays.
The immediate past Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, had at a briefing in October 2022, announced the completion of the Second Niger Bridge, well over 4 decades after the idea of the bridge was first conceived.
Also, Fashola had in April 2023, disclosed that the bridge, one of the legacy projects of former President Buhari’s administration will be fully open to traffic in May.
The Federal Government had on December 15, 2022, temporarily opened the bridge for 30 days to help ease traffic on that axis during the Christmas and New Year festivities.
The Second Niger Bridge is a Federal Government project that is 1.6 km (0.99 mi) long and furnished with other ancillary infrastructure including a 10.3km highway, Owerri interchange, and a toll station all at Obosi city, expected to be completed in the year 2022.
The bridge is being constructed across Nigeria’s Niger River and it will span from Asaba to Onitsha.
The governors of the Southeast and other stakeholders resolved to name the Second Niger Bridge after President Muhammadu Buhari after due consultations.