By Samuel Ike, Abuja

The Federal Government has launched a special security initiative to safeguard the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway from vandalism, illegal occupation, and other activities capable of undermining the multi-billion-naira infrastructure project.

Minister of Works, David Umahi, inaugurated the security outfit, known as the Coastal Highway Guards, on Sunday, deploying an initial team of 40 personnel to provide round-the-clock surveillance and protection along the strategic corridor.

The development was disclosed by the Senior Special Assistant on New Media to the Lagos State Governor, Jubril Gawat, who said the guards would be responsible for monitoring the highway, identifying and reporting suspicious activities, and preventing acts of vandalism and unauthorized use of the road.

The 750-kilometre, 10-lane Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway is one of the Federal Government’s flagship infrastructure projects. It is designed to connect Lagos with Cross River State through Ogun, Ondo, Delta, Bayelsa, Rivers, and Akwa Ibom states. The project is being executed by Hitech Construction Company Limited under the supervision of the Federal Ministry of Works.

According to Gawat, the security personnel will also enforce restrictions on hawking, loitering, and the operation of motorcycles and tricycles on the highway. The team will be headed by retired General Adekunle Shodunke and will work closely with existing security agencies in Lagos and other states along the project route.

Umahi emphasized that the initiative is not a social intervention programme but a strategic assignment aimed at protecting critical national assets. He said the guards had been specifically engaged to preserve government investments and ensure the long-term sustainability of the coastal highway.

The minister expressed concern over reported cases of vandalism and encroachment on sections of the road, warning that such actions pose a serious threat to the success of the project.

“We have witnessed cases of unpatriotic individuals removing concrete blocks, damaging protective fences, stealing reinforcement rods, and unlawfully accessing sections of the highway. These actions must stop,” he said.

Umahi directed the Federal Controller of Works in Lagos to intensify enforcement measures against unauthorized activities on the road, stressing that motorcycles, tricycles, hawkers, and loiterers would no longer be permitted on the expressway.

He further revealed that during a recent inspection tour conducted with members of the National Assembly at about 11 p.m., officials encountered individuals sleeping on parts of the highway, describing the situation as unacceptable.

The minister noted that the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway is a strategic national asset that requires stringent protection measures to guarantee public safety, preserve infrastructure integrity, and ensure uninterrupted economic benefits upon completion.

Umahi also called on the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps and other security agencies to strengthen the protection of critical national infrastructure across the country, stressing that sustained vigilance is essential to preventing vandalism and safeguarding public investments.