LAGOS — The Federal Government has issued a stern two-week final ultimatum threatening to completely shut down the Lagos section of the ongoing Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway following widespread safety breaches, fatal accidents, rampant vandalism, and persistent illegal activities along the corridor.
The warning was delivered on Monday, September 21, 2026, by the Federal Controller of Works in Lagos State, Engineer Olufemi Dare, during an inspection tour of the strategic highway. Speaking on behalf of the Minister of Works, Senator David Umahi, Dare emphasized that the executive branch would not hesitate to close the newly opened sections to traffic if road users and surrounding host communities fail to drastically adjust their behavior within fourteen days.
A major catalyst behind the government’s ultimatum is extreme speeding by motorists across active construction zones. While the Ministry of Works officially mandated a strict maximum speed limit of 30 kilometres per hour due to ongoing heavy civil works and bridge construction, drivers regularly speed through at velocities exceeding 100 to 120 kilometres per hour. Dare lamented that reckless driving on the partially opened infrastructure has led to avoidable loss of lives almost every other day, creating an unacceptable public hazard while contractors remain actively on-site.
Beyond dangerous driving, federal authorities cited widespread structural vandalism and security infractions. Syndicates operating under the cover of darkness have stolen over five kilometres of protective ClearVu perimeter fencing meant to isolate adjacent communities, along with approximately 18 kilometres of concrete drain covers and directional safety markers. To counter the theft, the government is revising its design strategy to swap steel fencing for heavy concrete barricades in high-risk stretches.
In a bid to restore order immediately, the Ministry of Works announced a sweeping ban prohibiting commercial motorcycles (Okada), tricycles (Keke Marwa), articulated truck parking, street hawking, animal grazing, and illegal shanty settlements along the coastal right-of-way. Anyone caught breaking median barriers to construct unauthorized U-turns will face immediate criminal prosecution.
To enforce the directives, the Federal Government has partnered with the Lagos State Police Command for massive tactical deployments along the highway. Additionally, authorities approved the recruitment of a 40-man localized coastal guard force—drawing four representatives from each host community along Section 1—to work alongside police units, strengthen intelligence gathering, and protect critical public infrastructure from further economic sabotage.
