CCTV Cameras on Third Mainland Bridge to Curb Suicides and Sand Theft – Umahi

The Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, has revealed that the recent installation of closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras on the Third Mainland Bridge in Lagos is aimed primarily at preventing suicide attempts and illegal sand excavation.

Speaking during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Friday, Umahi explained that the surveillance system will enable security operatives to monitor activities on and beneath the bridge in real time.

He emphasized that security agencies including the police, navy, army, and local vigilante groups have been stationed in a newly constructed observation facility by the waterbank to ensure constant surveillance.

“We’ve deployed CCTV cameras beneath the bridge’s deck to monitor and identify anyone excavating sand within a 10-kilometre radius,” Umahi said. “The facility houses a security base where different agencies will observe and act promptly if someone attempts to take their life on the bridge.”

The Minister also addressed the recent closure and reopening of the Independence Bridge in Lagos, attributing the emergency repair to structural failure caused by an improperly designed approach slab.

Umahi said the cantilever-style design of the slab was structurally flawed. Over time, the sand fill beneath it eroded, causing the slab to cave in and threaten commuter safety. He affirmed that the repair works have been completed and the bridge has now been reopened.

The CCTV installation and other safety upgrades form part of the government’s broader initiative to enhance infrastructure safety and protect public assets from misuse and vandalism.